This
is my disclaimer for 2009 folks! As you know, I change them, so
please read and smile!

This
is a fictional character. I'll say that until I'm blue in the face
and yet, someone will write to me and tell me I've got something
wrong, or he/she is that character, or they're going to sue me
because their client has a family member with that name.

I
can put disclaimers on a story all day long and still, I get someone
who is just about nuts who will do the above paragraph. It makes no
sense to me, but apparently, there are people who take themselves so
seriously they want to be a fictional character. Well to those of you
who choose to be that way, go read someone else's story and be a
fuck-tional character.

By
the way, if you're reading this to jack off (Adam Curtis). I'll smile
and you hold it in your hand and read until the end. If you've
spilled a load, I bet it wasn't reading a scene here! Everyone else
who knows my writing is probably laughing their asses off right about
now...I know I'm chuckling!

If
you can hold it in your hand and type, then please BY ALL MEANS write
me an email and send a photo of it. I want to see the man's appendage
which can write, type, and just plain want to know it better!

If
your appendage says it's straight, get a clue and get to a different
site. If you're that confused, go to your search engine and type in
Mental Health Help and seek the one in your area. Your appendage has
my permission to cut and paste.

Just
to make it an official disclaimer, if you're above the age of
18...great. If you're 118, super great...put a napkin over the
keyboard and you won't get any drool on it.

If
you're under the age of 18, please find the off switch on your
computer and press it. It'll make your day and mine a lot brighter.
If you come back to this site when it reboots, please repeat until
you lose interest. If it takes more than once, get a clue you dumb
fuck!

Notes
From RettaMichaels:

PlayMaker
is written as a period piece. The lead character is writing his
memoirs at the end of his career in this day and time. Please read it
as such as I've really got no time to correct people for what is
obvious.

PlayMaker

Chapter Eighteen:

I went to the door
and went down the steps. He was on the other side up on the ladder.
“Dan, we're about ready.”

“Ok”

“No
immediate hurry, but by the time you've got the ladder put up and are
on board, they should all be here.”

“Good.”

He came down the
ladder and folded it up. He carried it around and over to the hangar.
I went up the steps and to the cockpit. “Hi guys, we've got
some people coming yet, but we'll be ready soon.”

“Ok”

“You guys
like this plane better?”

“Yeah, it
flies like a dream.”

“Sorry about
the mix up on everything being at different locations.”

“Don't worry
about it. It gave us some fly time.”

“How far can
this plane fly non-stop?”

“From here,
we can make it most anywhere in the United States. To go to Alaska,
or Hawaii, we'd need to refuel, but it's a good plane.”

“What about
the 747?”

“It can go
most anywhere if you keep it filled with fuel.”

“Yeah, of
course, why wouldn't I?”

“They didn't
keep the other jet fueled all the way.”

“That's
dumb, isn't it?”

“It's risky.
It's counting something to be there when it could be gone.”

“Well, don't
do that while I'm at the head of this. I'd rather know we're going to
stay up than down.”

He nodded and
said, “You getting more pilots for the other planes?”

“We're only
getting the 747, aren't we?”

“Nah, a
little one is coming too.”

“Why?”

“Your coach
will need to go to scout people.”

“I'd rather
have a helicopter to fly to New York City from Akron than a little
plane. Just the same, if it's already ordered, we'll keep it. We can
use it for a variety of reasons.”

“You're
going to need more pilots.”

“Do you guys
know the best way to hire them?”

“We'll put
word out. We've got friends who've said they wish they had our gig.
We can pass along the wealth.”

“You're
going to be flying a lot with me. I'll probably stay out there, but a
lot of these people back here will be racking up the miles.”

“Ok, so
consider this airport a standard run for us?”

“Yeah,
unless there's a problem.”

“Nah, it's a
good strip. We just like to know if we're going to be making a lot of
runs to different places, or to certain places.”

“This is
home base for me, but I'm not going to be here for awhile. If I
change my mind, they'll be lucky, but I'm going to build my team.”

“Your
priorities are in the right spot.”

Dan came on and I
said, “Ok, I'll let you know when they're all on board. I need
to speak with him, he's my merchandising guy.”

We went into the
plane and I sat down at the board table with him. “Here's what
we've got so far about those products over there. These over here,
we're still undecided upon.

When we get to the
stadium, we'll go to merchandising to see what they've got. They
might have different stuff, or they might have stuff which isn't as
cool.”

He nodded, “You
guys are hitting this professional. I like it.”

I said, “Dan,
none of those Angels work. This is what I want.”

I handed him the
sketch Rob did and he nodded.

“I want it
to look like a fist but an Angel. I know it's blocky and flat, but
it's going to be nice if you could take the hightlights from this
hawk and use it on the feathers for the Angel.”

He nodded and
said, “Ok, what about your hawks?”

“I like
them. That one there is awesome. Now, about the word. I love that A
on that one. I'd like to get that on as much stuff as we can.”

He nodded and
smiled, “I came up with that and thought it was really neat.”

“Well, it's
a hit. Now, here's what else we've been working on. These are a list
of words for our advertising and promotional materials. As you can
see, we're playing up the word Fan.”

He nodded,
“Fantasize' would be one when you're doing a sexy spread for
posters.”

“Huh?”

“You're a
good looking guy. You're going to have all sorts of girls begging for
posters of you to put in their bedrooms.”

“Ok, but you
might see who makes Fanta soda. We could do some Angel drinks in
Fanta size. That's what I thought you were meaning when you said it.
I was thinking us being on soda cans.”

He smiled, “No,
but that'd get us out there with commemorative cans of whatever to
get people to collect.”

He reached over
and said, “I like this one.”

“What is
it?”

“It's a
cigarette lighter which lights up when you pull back the Angel's
head.”

“That's
cool, but do you think it'd sell?”

“Yeah, lot's
of people smoke and they'd buy this for a few dollars.”

“Ok, but
that Angel there is good. Don't let them just put any Angel on it.”

“I won't.”

“Jake, can I
give you some pointers?”

“Yeah.”

“The Angel
is collected by a lot of people. We can do them in all sorts of
picturesque scenes and have a lot of collector's items.”

“Ok, like
what?”

“Have an
Angel flying up high with a snowy scene down below. It looks like a
nice picture of an Angel, but if you look below, that village has
your stadium in it and it's lit up.”

“We go to
Alaska or someplace where it's winter and the mountains are
beautiful. We can do a picture of the Angel flying and then landing
on an evergreen. When it pulls back, you see the evergreen is at the
stadium. Yeah, its' the combining of two things, but the viewer isn't
going to care. You throw a Happy Holidays over it with your logo down
below and it's going to make people think you're a good guy.”

“Ok, but we
need another one of the guys all wearing our jerseys without helmets
or pads and us out having a snowball football game. It shows us being
silly and then, it shows us making snow Angels. We stand up and get
into formation for a team photo with us all saying Merry Christmas
and that snow Angel turning into our logo, or our logo done in ice.”

“Oh man, you
gotta have that for your meeting. Have an ice sculpture of it with
champagne flowing under it.”

“Ok, that's
cool. I've never drank champagne, but it might be decent.”

“It's
different. It's sort of like ginger ale mixed with wine.”

“Hmmm, I
like ginger ale.”

Soon, everyone was
on board. I went to tell the pilot we were ready and he closed the
door and got it locked. The steps folded in and then, from where I
don't know, we had a flight attendant.

“Where'd you
come from?”

“The office
at the hangar.”

“Ok, you
sort of surprised me. From now on, could you be on the plane when
we've got people here? We could've had our safety stuff out of the
way.”

“That's not
required.”

“Guy, each
and every time this bird flies, you give that safety stuff. If I'm
not listening, you come over and drop kick me so I do listen as you
stand over me. There might be a time we need to know it for real and
I want each and every person on here to know it.”

“Ok”

“I'm not
being an asshole, but I'm not all that comfortable on a plane. It's
not real comforting with me knowing most people don't live when these
things crack up and when you see how many wrecks I have, you gotta
figure the odds are against me this is going to be any different.”

He smiled, “Have
a lot of wrecks?”

“Yeah, but
my car gets wrecked even without me there, so go figure that out. I'm
due for another car and that makes it the fourth in about a month.”

“Jeez!”

“Yeah, so
when you see me not listening to you giving that safety stuff, you
drop kick me because I'll probably have you demonstrating everything
so I know how to do it in the dark upside down hanging in a chair.
I'd rather know it for actual than perfect scenarios.”

He nodded. “Other
than that, here's the rules on this bird. I'm gay and if you dare go
out of here and broadcast what I do while on here, I'll be sure you
never get it said again....working for me.

Now, that guy over
there in the blue shirt is mine. He's hands off unless it's my hands
and if you ever see someone touch him while I'm not on here, you
treat it like his life is in danger because it will be when I find
out he's screwing around and while you're at it, you just throw that
person touching him on out of the plane because it'll save me time of
having to do it when I find out.”

He laughed, “Don't
worry. You'll have my private number and I hope to have yours.”

“Sure. Now,
there's a list floating around here of what our favorite soft drinks
are. They're not your normal things, so you'll have to get them while
we're at Moberly. They've got them there.”

“What are
they?”

“Aaron over
there loves Double Cola. I'll tell you I don't mind it if there's
nothing else, but it tastes like someone took two different kinds of
soda which were left out over night and threw them together. The
stuff is salty and I swear that's how they got the fizz back in the
stale tasting stuff.”

“Ewww.”

“Aaron loves
it. His second favorite is Mountain Dew.”

“Rob's and
my favorite is SunDrop. It's good stuff and better than Mountain Dew
all the time. If you sip it, you'll find out it's your favorite too
when it's ice cold. Hot, that stuff just can't be done right.”

He smiled.

“Other than
that, I like diet Peach Shasta.”

“Ok”

“Now, here's
what I want you to know and for you to train whomever we've got
working for us. IF I get a contract for Pepsi, there's never to be a
Coke can left out here. IF they insist, you point at that door and
tell that person they don't make enough to cost me that sort of
money. I'm talking about millions a year for fifteen years on a
contract, so do the math. That Coke can could cost me nearly a
hundred million. It's not happening.”

“Why not
have a policy of no Coke on board.”

“No, people
like whatever. I'm not going to go that far. I mean, I like SunDrop,
but others don't. They like Mountain Dew, so I'm not going to make
them gag through a Sun Drop just because of that.”

“What if
you've got a Pepsi contract? Are you going to stop drinking SunDrop?”

“No, the
can's getting left in back and they're going to think I'm head over
heels for Mountain Dew.

Just the same, I'm
not going to want many people taking photos while they're on board
here. It's rude and it intrudes on people's privacy. We're going to
have both gay and straight couples and singles on here. I don't want
any errant photo giving away someone's secrets.”

He nodded. “Ok”

“Next item.
“That bedroom in the back is off limits for everyone who flies
this plane except Rob and I. As you heard before, if he goes back
there with someone else, kill first and ask questions later. He'll
know I'm not going to let anyone else back there with me, so he
better not either. IF he needs that much privacy, he's got the wrong
people on here.”

He nodded. “Ok,
anything else?”

“No alcohol
and no drugs. Neither by us or by you. If you see it happening, you
give me a call. I'll suspend that person from my team, or I'll call
the pilot and ask him to take that person back to where they're
coming from.”

“A lot of
people do drugs.”

“Not on my
plane they don't! If they do, I repeat, you call me and I'll suspend
them when I get the call. There's not going to be a thing of them
calling you a liar, I'll drug test them and we'll prove your word to
me and them out off the team.”

“Ok, I think
I'll like working for you.”

“What's not
to like?”

“Several
things. One of them is me asking what happens if someone comes onto
me?”

“Uh uh. If
they do it, you go up front to the pilot and you tell him to take
that person back to where they came from and dump them out. You call
me and I'll tell them I'm not keeping them on the team.

Now, if someone
does come onto you and you want them, you do it on your own time. If
it's Rob, you call me and know your own time is in the number of
minutes when I find out you've taken him up on the offer.”

“What if I
get blackmailed over it?”

“IF you do
nothing on the plane, it's not affecting your job. IF someone else
does something on the plane, it's their job. This plane isn't the
field and it's not the locker room. It's a twenty seven million
dollar ride and no one and I mean no one on my team makes that much a
year to mess it up...not even me.

Now, if you get
blackmailed by someone, you call me. I'll handle it. If someone comes
onto you, call me, I'll handle it. IF a bunch of my players are on
board and they've slipped bottles on here and are getting drunk, you
go to the pilot's cabin and you tell him to take them all back from
where they originated from before they were on the team and dump
them. Once again, they don't make enough to buy this ride.

If that makes you
think I'm serious about it, please understand I am. Booze, drugs, or
whatever messes it up and bottles can be thrown and hit a window.
These things suck everything out that hole when it opens up and I'm
not going out without a parachute, so you know I'll do what it takes
to make sure it doesn't happen.”

“Ok, now, I
need to ask about benefits.”

“You don't
have them?”

“Not many.”

“Ok, we need
to make a list of what you want so we can get them for you.”

“Can I wear
more leisurely things while on board?”

“I'll work
on a different uniform with you if you don't like that one. I don't
like the idea of you being in a jeans and t-shirt with the Dallas
Cowboys on it when they're not paying your salary. SO, I'll work with
you on it. We'll dress down to a point, but not all the way down.”

“Ok, I've
got some suggestions.”

“One other
thing and then I'll listen.”

“Ok”

“IF you see
anyone and that means even me, on this plane with jeans on with
grommets on the pockets in the back, you go over and hand them a
blanket and tell them to put it under them. These seats are leather
and those things are sharp. IT doesn't take much to ruin a piece of
leather and us having to replace it. A blanket costs but a few
dollars. Some of these seats, I'd hate to see how much their
replacement cost is.”

“I could
tell you that long sofa back there costs twenty one thousand for the
bottom cushion. I worked for a rock star whose child used a permanent
marker on one once. He had to wait two months to get it replaced.”

“Then you
understand why I'm the way I am about it.”

“I
understand.”

“Go ahead
about your benefits.”

“I'd like to
have a uniform with nice pants and a pull over shirt. It's
comfortable and nice.”

“Ok, that's
a go, but watch the lighter colors and make me replace the shirts
once every six months. When the darker colors are washed too often,
they fade.”

“I'll do
that.”

“While on
board, you don't have to wear shoes. You can wear house shoes if
you'd like.”

“Ok, that'd
be nice.”

“This plane
is getting remodeled. We're putting in a movie screen and some
recliners. We want classic comedy movies, so everyone's laughing and
having a good time with clean fun.

In regards to a
cell phone. If you don't have one, let me know and I'll get you one.
I don't know how I could function without mine.”

“I'll need
one.”

“Your
benefits other than that, I don't know. What do you make a year?”

“Let me
figure it out.”

“Huh?”

“I make nine
dollars an hour.”

“Uh huh,
that's gotta change. I'll get you on at fifty grand a year. That's
hog wash! We're demanding you have time devoted to us and we sure
can't expect you to have that for nine bucks an hour.”

“Thanks.”

“Do you have
dental, eye, and health?”

“Health, but
it's not good unless I go to the team doctor.”

“Ick, ok,
we'll get you a decent plan. I'll also find you a dental and eye plan
with prescriptions.”

He smiled. “Good.
Can I have someone on there with me?”

“Sure,
boyfriend or girlfriend?”

“Boyfriend.
He works for another private plane based in Akron.”

“He wanna
switch over to us?”

“He probably
will when I tell him what I'm making now.”

“If he does,
then train someone for this plane and you and he tag team the 747.
You can work together and have the same time off that way.

While I'm at this,
do you live on us, or do you live off us?”

“What's that
mean?”

“We better
have some places for our people to live in that stadium. If we don't,
then I'm screwed.”

“You don't.”

“Ok, well,
let me look for an apartment block someplace and get it bought. We've
got to have that so we can keep people working and write things off.”

“We rent an
apartment.”

“Well,
living on us means you live in one of our apartments. IF you live off
us, it means you live in your own elsewhere. Since the team doesn't
have that and the stadium doesn't have that, we're going to have to
get it. When I've got it, I'll get you guys in if you want. It'll be
covered and the bills will be also.”

“Nice!”

“It's
something we gotta do. We're going to have players who just don't
make it to where they're making a lot. I don't know why, but I tend
to see everyone works for their pay around me. I give good and I
expect better when it comes to employees.”

“You're
great by me.”

“Enforce the
rules and don't take shit. If you think I won't park a whole team in
that 747, think again. That plane is going to cost me a whole lot.”

“I imagine!”

“Just the
same, you'll see me flying with the team when I fly. I might own this
plane, but you'll only see me using this when I'm with friends. With
the team, I'll be on the big one.”

“I'm hearing
what you're saying. You're saying you're a part of the team, so you
want to keep the team spirit.”

“Right, but
my attitude comes from one thing and that's this...A lot of people
aren't getting the privilege of playing for a pro team. I'll not have
a few idiots thinking they can disrespect the team in order to be a
part of it. I'll fire the whole bunch and get all new if that's what
it takes. It'd save me some money and it certainly isn't like I can't
find good high school students who can't play.”

“You're all
high school students?”

“Yeah, most
of us are in the twelth grade.”

“Your
parents must be rich for you to be able to afford a team.”

“My parents
are dead. My grandma raised me until she too got killed. She invested
really well their life insurance and left me with enough life
insurance to have you wondering what she did in her spare time with
the insurance man. Just the same, I'm loaded.

“Some of
those guys out there have parents who are normal. Rob's dad is the
Prosecuting Attorney, but after hearing what he makes, I'd say he's
normal too.”

“They don't
make a lot?”

“Forty grand
a year. A drug dealer could pay him off and he'd make some money
then.”

“That
doesn't sound like a lot.”

“IT's not.
Fortunately, he made a lot of money representing me on the purchase
of this team, so they'll never had to worry again.”

“I heard you
paid over three hundred million.”

“Three
twenty five.”

“Man!”

“Let me give
you a secret. That's cheap for what I got. That stadium is worth that
much alone. This team is worth that much alone and that concession
contract is worth a whole lot per year when you figure out how much
they sell.”

“I see
you're merchandising a lot.”

“It's a lot
and going to be a whole lot more. You're going to be amazed at what I
can find to put my name on and what I can get this team's name on. I
know I've already got a Buick Roadmaster coming out in a taxi cab
version which is going to be flying our logo on the rear bumper.”

“Why?”

“Let me give
you a little clue. Ok? I can buy that car for thirteen thousand and
hand it to a guy to drive for four years. In that four years, he'll
pay me what that car is worth and I'll get advertising on it for that
four years. To me, that same advertising is going to cost me a
hundred thousand a year. Do you think I'd rather give the car away
than pay for it six times through the ads?”

“I didn't
know the ads were that much!”

'Yeah, it's nuts.
Just the same, I'm going to be buying a car dealer out there in Akron
because they really make money.”

“They do?”

“I have one
in Moberly which wasn't performing when I got it. Now, it's sold more
cars in a month than it did in two years. I'm making money and it's
all about knowing how to do it. If you've got money to invest, talk
with me and I'll help you invest it.”

“I don't. I
only make nine bucks an hour.”

“Well, that
changes. Let me do something for you two and I'll make you
millionaires. You just promise you'll work for me for five years.”

“Yeah!”

“Ok, I'll
make some calls and get you a town to put cell phone antennas up.
You'll be amazed at those things.”

“I'm not
following.”

“Cell phones
require antennas to operate. In a small town the size of Moberly, it
takes four of them to run the phones there. Now, the antennas don't
cost much, so I'll get you a small town to have the towers in. You'll
make money hand over fist and in five years, you'll be millionaires
at least one time over. I'd say it's probably going to be seven times
over, but that might be wrong.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I've
got a friend named Raleigh who started with a bunch of towers and
now, he's making like several hundred thousand a month. He's
reinvesting some and the other part, he's building a huge house
with.”

“Oh man,
that's gotta be nice.”

“It is. I'm
happy for him. SO, I'll get you guys going on them and you'll have a
good nest egg at the end of the five years.”

“I
appreciate it.”

“Don't
worry. Heck it takes know how in order to make it, but once you've
made your first million, you're definitely going to make lots more.”

“Thanks.”

“What's your
name?”

“Perry.”

“Glad to
meet you Perry. I'm Jake. It's short for Jacob, but don't ever call
me that. No one has my whole life, so it'd probably not get me to
answer it.”

I stood up and
went back to Rob. “I'm back hon.”

“What was
that about?”

“Making the
guy happy. He wasn't working for much except scraps and now, he's
working for steaks.”

“Oh.”

“It's got us
with an employee for at least five years and his lover coming over to
work for us also.”

“That's
nice, where does he work?”

“I don't
know. Some other company has a private plane he flies in.”

“So you're
going to hire him and then what?”

“Both of
them go on the 747. They have the same time off and they've got each
other more.”

“That's
cool.”

“I gave them
a raise and better benefits. They were only making nine bucks an
hour.”

“Ok, so you
gave them a raise?”

“Yeah, to
fifty grand a year.”

“That's a
lot.”

“Not really,
Us keeping people who know us and are proud to work for us is what
matters.”

“Dad wants
to speak with you.”

“I hate
this.”

“Yeah, but
let's get it over and then, we're finished with it.”

I went over to Mr
Musselman and said, “Ok, what are his messages?”

“First of
all, he says he didn't lie to you. He says typical to form, you
jumped to conclusions.”

“I'm not
seeing action and seeing his mouth moving, therefore it's all the
same.”

“He told me
to take his name off your house and then told me to get you the Chevy
dealer. He'll have everything over on Monday to put into your name
fifty-fifty.”

“No, he says
he's sorry you feel the way you do, but his life's moving forward. He
hopes you can keep your word about coaching and he hopes you're not
going to bear ill will if he brings that other guy on the team.”

“First of
all, it was my idea to bring him on the team, so there's no ill will
except Grant's attempting to take more credit for what I thought up.
Second of all, I'm not the one who he has to worry about keeping his
word. He is. I know his feelings are upset because he wouldn't have
said that to my face without being called a liar to his. Just the
same, IF he does what he says he is, then I'll back off.”

“He said he
expects to see you in school on Monday.”

“Not
happening. The only reason I'd be there is for the team, but in order
to do it, I've got to waste six hours a day of my time which could be
spent building up this team. If they can work around all that until
the end of the season, I'd forego the schooling and play.”

“Let me
think on it. I think the only problem you'd have if you played and
missed days is the state finals and play off. IT's after the semester
break. Everything else is up until then, so you'd have the days of
absence accruing which wouldn't matter if you were quitting anyway.

Normally, I'd not
suggest anyone quit school at all, but you've got enough going for
you, I think it'd only hinder you if you stayed.”

“Ask Grant
if he's going to stop me from playing if I'm absent. If he does, then
I'll apologize to the team and go ahead and quit. I don't owe Grant
anything and really, those whom I owe anything are on this plane.”

“He said to
call him before the game.”

“Uh uh, no
way. He's not going to mess with my brain before the biggest day of
my life. I'll call him now...technically, it's before the game.”

I went over and
hit speed dial on my phone. “Hello?”

“You said to
call before my game?”

“It's
tomorrow.”

“And I don't
trust you're not going to try to mess with my brain before the
biggest day of my life. You got your call now...it's plenty of time
to recover from what you've got to say.”

“First of
all, I never meant to make you think I lied to you. I intended on
keeping my word.”

“You did?
Well it remains to be seen. I'm not backing off until I see it
happen.”

“I love you.
I'm seeing how much I've hurt you and I don't want that. I'd rather
just give what I said I'd give and let you know I intended on giving
it to you.”

“Grant, one
thing I wanted from you, I can't even get unconditionally.”

“I told him
to give it to you.”

“If you
think it was the Chevy dealer, you're nuts. It was your love. See?
You can't see it and you just won't get it.”

“I do love
you.”

“Hang on,
I'm about to start yelling, so I'm going into the bedroom on this
thing.”

“It's got a
bedroom?”

“Yeah, but
you'll never see it. Absolutely no one but Rob and I are allowed to
enter in here. I don't like it's on here and I'd change it if I
could, but some things just can't be changed.”

“Are you
going to keep me on the team?”

“Yeah, and
for your information, it was my idea to bring that kid onto the team.
You made it sound like you were trying to take credit for another
idea I had.”

“Would you
let me have this one?”

“Why?”

“If I get
together with him, it's going to look weird my ex wanted him on the
team. It'd look more romantic if I wanted him here.”

“Ok. Do it.
Just realize if you're trying to mess with his brain, I'll be there
to make your world dark.”

“Let me have
my space.”

“I will.
Now, here's what I've got to ask. Are you going to throw me off the
Spartans if I miss days?”

“I can't
keep you on the team. Their policy dictates you don't play.”

“It dictates
I don't play if I'm out of school for more than ten days in that last
semester. In fact, it states I'll be held back a year.

Since I'm not
going to be there next semester, the only thing which is affected is
the state finals and championship.”

“SO you lead
us up to that point and throw us off a cliff.”

“My hands
are tied. My loyalties are to my future and not to my past. The
Angels have to have me out there working on them. The Spartans stand
with or without me.”

“Play the
games. If we make it to that point, I'll see what I can do to help
you. Your circumstances are way different than anyone else has ever
had on this team.”

“Policy is
policy. They'll tell you that.”

“They were
going to let you out for your parents trial, so it could be
considered a part of that leave of absence.”

“Ask,
because I'm not going to be there on Monday.”

“Why not?”

“Grant, I've
got to do merchandising. I've got to get ready for that meeting. I've
got to get a team whipped into shape and a stadium made so I'm not
sued. There's got to be fence installed around the stadium and I've
got to go through and hire and fire employees. It takes time which
that six hours a day would benefit me a lot more than being stuck in
school.”

“Would you
home school and do your tests if I can arrange it?”

“Yeah, I
could take all those now and not have to worry.”

“I'm going
to work on that angle. It'd get us having you in the finals.”

“Ok, just
understand, I'm not staying away because of my anger towards you.
Yeah, it's a part of it, but it's a decision which needed done.”

“Your plate
is full. I know that.”

“Well, it's
got to be. If I could do things different and have more hours in a
day, I would.”

“Ok, I'm
pulling into the outskirts of Hannibal, so I'll let you go.”

“Grant?”

“What?”

“Don't go
back on 24, you'll have a wreck. Drive over on 36 and down.”

“Ok”

“Be sure to
get all of that kid's paperwork because that coach over there is
going to really be hammering on his parents. They work for you at
your factory, so you could use that to your advantage.”

“The coach
got arrested.”

“Yeah, and
they're going to let him coach the team until his disciplinary
hearing. How much do you think he's going to attempt to get players
to say his abusiveness is for their own good?”

“Huh?”

“You heard
me, that's their argument. It's not going to fly, but it'll serve as
a way for him to divide that town until it goes to trial and yes,
he's going to be dumb enough to take it to trial. What you don't
realize is the Prosecuting Attorney over there is going to lay in
wait and let that man testify about all his deeds to every kid saying
how it's good for his team before he lays out a whole bunch of
charges.”

“Good.”

“You might
do everyone a favor and have cameras at all his future games until
that's over. His anger will get one camera destroyed, but it'll be
caught on tape and it'll demonstrate his thinking he can get by with
anything.”

“He basicly
can on his own field.”

“Wrong, this
is on someone else's field and both your camera guy and he are on the
visitor's side. He's going to think just because he's the coach of
the visitting team, he can dictate who is on the visiting side. What
you don't know is the Sheriff in that county has a disabled son and
when he sees what was said on that tape, the charges are going to
flow like water released from a ruptured dam.”

Grant laughed,
“Ok, I'll do it.”

“The guy has
a problem. IT's called a God complex. He showed his hand at our game
which scared him.”

“I'm not
following.”

“You are
built better. His complex got built because he's built better than
anyone over there and his doctor compliments him on his body fat
percentage and everything. When he had to face you and stare down at
adversity, it started undoing him. Now, he's wondering about all
aspects of his life. The man is a bit nuts.”

“I'd say!”

“No, get
this because you'll see. He's got a daughter. She's a gift from God,
but he thinks just because she's not a boy, it's a failing for him.
Go figure it out, because it's dumb.”

“Ok, it's
sexist.”

“It's not
sexist when he's viewing it as HIS failure. He's saying he's not man
enough. What happens is it's going to explode in that house and his
wife is going to get a beating which ends the marriage. He needs
intervention.”

“Should we
do it?”

“No, I got
told about intervening today. They don't like me doing it.”

“I'll get
off here.”

“Cover your
bases. If you don't get his paperwork, you're going to hurt yourself
more than help.”

“What
paperwork?”

“A letter of
intent for the team. If you need one, you give me a call and go to
Kroger's. They've got a fax and I've got the office. I'll fax you the
paperwork to sign.”

“Thanks for
covering me.”

“No problem.
You're not understanding the vile nature of that man. He's worse than
Riefsdel in a lot of ways.”

I hung up and then
went out of the bedroom. Mr Musselman asked, “Things better?”

“Providing
he keeps his word, all is well.”

“Anything I
need to do?”

“Yeah, it's
going to take a bit of sneakiness, but it'll look legal.”

“Care to
explain?”

“Come back
here with Rob and I and I'll explain.”

We went into the
bedroom and closed the door.

“Grant's way
out on a limb here. I told him to get a letter of intent for the kid
to play for the team. In those letters he's having them sign, I'm
going to have you fax a paper which gets him off the hook for being
alone with the kid.

That coach over
there is going to press every button he can and stir emotions. The
parents most likely will quit their jobs over it and Grant's going to
have some things said about him which aren't going to be good. With
that paper saying the kid can travel with him and be authorized to
have Grant be his guardian while they're together, it'll cover him.”

“You need to
warn him.”

“It's
threading the needle. He needs the relationship and he needs the kid
on our team. The kid needs it because his future just doesn't go
anywhere if he doesn't play.”

“Let me get
to going on that paperwork. Thanks for letting me know so I can have
it ready.”

Rob asked, “What
did he say?”

“He told me
everything your dad did except I got to throw my opinion back at him.
He's going to work on doing some things so I can keep playing for the
Spartans without having to go to school there.”

“So you're
going to stay in Akron?”

“Yeah, I'm
going to stay over here and get the offices right and the team going
in the right direction. Then, it's my hope you'll be over here
sometime too.”

He looked over at
his dad. “Dad?”

“You've got
to finish school. Your mom said that.”

“What about
he and I living together?”

“Weekends.
You can fly over on the weekends with him. Until then, I want you to
be home.”

I interrupted,
“Hang on, let me regroup on that one because it just told me
he's not going to be here during the week.”

Mike looked at me
and said, “You're not thinking about that real clearly. He'd be
out of school at three. It'd take an hour to fly here. That's four.
He'd lose an hour fly time, that's five. Then, he'd have to leave by
nine your time to make it back by ten.”

“Wrong. He'd
gain an hour flying back towards Moberly, so he could leave at ten.”

“I'll speak
with his mother and see. I don't feel good about it.”

“Ok, at
least it's an honest answer. I'll have to regroup mentally to prepare
for us not being together.”

Rob looked
shocked, “You'd break up over this?”

“No, we'll
have the weekends, but I'm not coming back except to play ball.
That's it. I'll be there on Friday nights. Until then, I'll be in
Akron working to get the team back together.”

“You had me
worried.”

“Rob, we've
been apart for thirteen years. I can wait another if we get to see
each other on the weekends.”

Mike said, “Please
let me speak with his mom. She might come up with another solution.”

“How about
next Friday. I'll come in and we can go out to dinner and talk. It'd
give me a chance to meet her and her a chance to speak with me so I
know it's something she'll do.”

He nodded, “You
guys can have next summer.”

“No, next
Summer is law camp. I gave my word and we're living together to get
that done. If not, then you bargained in bad faith.”

“No, that's
the deal and she knows it. I'm hoping she'll get used to the fact
he's growing up. With some luck, you two will get your certificates
and she'll see he's moved forward enough he's got what he needs in
life.”

“She said
she wants me to have my senior year for the memories. She'd not going
to let me get out of going.”

I nodded, “Well,
I know I've got weekends, so that's what I've got to work with. I'm
mentally prepared for that, so let's not haggle it out and make her
resentful.”

Mike smiled,
“She'll bend. I know she will.”

“You know,
my grandma bent a lot too, but she also held to what she thought was
best. I've learned not to argue it because it doesn't go anywhere. IF
she changes her mind, it'll be because she did and not us doing
anything.”

He nodded and Rob
said, “Well, I'll be here when I can.”

“That's all
I ask, it's half yours and that's not changing.”

We were told the
plane would be landing in fifteen minutes. The steward came and
showed us how to prepare for landing and believe me, I had pillows
all over around where I was sitting. I figured if I was going to get
jerked out of my seat, I'd have to have some cushions. Everyone else
laughed, but I was serious.

When the plane
landed, it felt like a school bus had blown out all it's tires at
once. It decelerated rather sharply and I let out a yell. Everyone
laughed, but a lot of things on the table were slid off.

We taxied up to a
hangar and were told it was safe to get up and get ready to get out.
We all prepared for our exit and the lot of merchandising things got
placed into a box.

When the door was
opened, I was first to get out. I'm sorry, but flying scared me.
Well, flying doesn't scare me...crashing does.

At the bottom of
the steps, we were met by a huge guy. “Hi, I'm Nate Clemons, I
play for you.”

“Hi Nate,
thanks for coming. How'd you know we were coming?”

“We were
supposed to show up here. I guess I'm the only one.”

“Well, I
appreciate your greeting us. It's not going to be ignored.”

“Is there
anything I can get for you guys?”

“DJ brought
everything he owns like he's going to camp. He's got like four
suitcases.”

He chuckled. “Do
you have anything?”

“Nah, I'm
wearing these clothes and they're going to provide me with a uniform.
If I need anything else, I'll buy it.”

He nodded, “My
Suburban is over there. IF you want, you can ride in it.”

“Thanks, are
they sending a limo?”

“Ummm, no.”

“Ok, well,
that's strike two. You're about to see me hit pissed off mode, but
not aimed at you.”

He went on up and
Mike came out. “So this is Akron!”

“It's Akron
without a limo. It's Akron without our players when they were told to
meet us here. It's Akron and I'm pissed.”

“Let them
have this one.” Rob said, “They probably feel their
loyalties are with the other guy.”

“Ok, but
we're having a team meeting. IF they don't show, they're suspended.
I'll call all of those guys myself to be assured they're told.”

Nate came out
carrying two suitcases. DJ carried the other two. Aaron stood at the
top of the steps smiling. “Aaron, we're going to ride in Nate's
Suburban.”

“Ok”

I went over and
opened the back cargo door. Nate said, “You guys are going to
ride up front.”

“Too many
people. Let the older guys ride up front. I'll ride back here and
have a little camp out.”

He looked
strangely. “It's ok Nate, I've gotta give them this disrespect
of me, but when I get to the stadium, I'm personally calling each
team member and telling him there's a team meeting. IF they don't
show, I'll suspend them until I can get my football team from home
here to play. Then, I'll keep them suspended until my point is made
they should see who pays the bills.”

“The last
owner isn't helping you any.”

“No, but
he's also realizing I'm about to start fucking him financially. I've
got a promissory note which states whatever I've got to replace to
bring this team up to standards will be taken from it. That means
player's salaries too.”

His eyes got big.
I said, “The dumb ass signed it. Not me.”

“Oh man.”

“He left it
open for me to screw him. I'll do it if I find he's trying to do it
to me on his way out the door.”

Everyone loaded up
and Nate drove us to the stadium. When we drove on the lot, my mouth
was open. Everyone was 'oohing' and 'ahhing'. The building was huge.

He drove around to
the back and parked, “This is the player's entrance.”

I got out and
looked around. Not one gate, fence, or anything kept fans from
getting to us.

I asked Nate, “How
many problems do you have with fans out here?”

“A few get
back here but they're real nice.”

“We need to
have a meet and greet area where we can do that where it's safe. This
looks like a prime area which one shot would have to cause us to
change security.”

“Yeah, but
we've been lucky.”

“You said it
and I agree. It's going to change.”

I went over and
saw the sidewalk which went around the stadium. There was a small
grassy area. “This looks like a good area for them to wait.”

Rob came over and
said, “Inside the stadium. Keep the fans in there and our
private lives out here. No errant eyes see anything.”

“Ok, let's
go in.”

We went in and
entered a long hallway. Our footsteps echoed along it's length. I saw
a security guard and yelled at him, he came and I asked, “Our
you our guard or someone from a security firm?”

“Security
firm.”

“Ok,
thanks.”

“Why?”

“First of
all, had I been interested in getting in here and killing players,
I'd be given free range. Second of all, you need an officer posted at
that door. Third, I'll have someone there so we don't have to carry
all this stuff to where we're going.”

“I'll call.”

“No, they
know we're here. This is a part of our welcome wagon. They're about
to see it's going to be the bus to hell when I'm done.”

Rob came over,
“He's a guard, not someone to bitch at.”

“Yeah, but
he knows this stinks.”

The guard asked,
“You new players?”

“I'm a new
player and the new owner. He's a new owner also. Does that tell you
why I'm upset?”

“Yeah.”

“It's going
to change. Trust us on that.”

He nodded and went
back into the room he had came out of. I saw it was a coffee area.

I turned to Rob.
“You're going to have to loosen up on the leash. This has to be
done my way.”

“Ok, but
you're stomping on someone who doesn't need it.”

“I know but
if he had shared his opinion, it would've given me a little to go
on.”

“You were
ragging on him.”

“And you
were in there before I could get it over onto him it was ok to
complain. I guess I'll have to be a hundred feet from you from now on
so I can get it done.”

“I'll loosen
up.”

“Thanks. If
we don't pay attention to the small things, you'll see them become
big.”

“How small?”

“Bugs in our
food. Rat turds and mouse turds in our food. Mice and Rats in the
merchandise area eating things. Them in the rafters eating power
lines so lights don't work. It all costs us money.”

“Ok, when I
get a chance with you, I'll train in on it.”

“Thanks.”

“The locker
room is over here.”

We went in and I
saw a man in an office. “Hi, what's your name?”

“How'd you
get in here?”

“Walked in.
As you can see, security's got to change.”

“Fans don't
come down here.”

“No, let's
hope they don't with pistols and machine guns. If they do, we're in a
world of hurt. Now, I asked a question. What's your name?”

“Jim. Jim
Bourne.”

“Hi Jim,
Jake Martin. Where do you want the new players to put their things.”

“Ummm, put
them over there.”

“Jim, where
are the other team members. If they weren't told to get here, find
their numbers and call them all in. IF they say they're not coming,
you be sure to very clearly tell them they're on suspension until
they do come in and sit in front of me to be fired.”

“You're the
new owner?”

“Yeah, I'm
glad you were told.”

“I heard it
on the news.”

“Ok, well,
there was to be a team meeting and practice. It was to be for when we
landed. No one but Nate met us out there when they were told. Now, I
want a team meeting and those guys to be told what I just said. I'll
go out on the field and will practice until they get here.”

“Tell them
to show or be suspended until they meet with you and get fired.”

“Right.”

“Oh-kay, but
they're not going to like it.”

“Jim, I
don't like getting disrespected by people I pay. There's twenty
people standing in line to take each one of them's spots. IF you
don't think I can't get candidates to play, please think again.”

“I'll get on
it. You might want to call up to the office and get me player's
numbers.”

“Where's the
office. I'll go up there myself.”

“Up top.
You'll have to be shown how to get there.”

“Hang on, I
need to bring some people with me. They're all going to have to need
to know how to get there.”

I went over and
said, “Guys, come on, we're going up to the offices. We've
gotta walk.”

Jim and Nate
showed us how to get to the elevators. At the elevators, we rode up
to the office tower. When we got out, the wall of windows looking out
was nice. On one side was the field down below and on the other was a
view of the city.

Jim led the way
and Nate hung back. We entered through glass doors and a woman was
told rather quickly who we were. She smiled and stood up, “They're
not here.”

“Tell him
each trophy and award just cost him five million off the sale price.
You tell him he's got twenty four hours to have these shelves loaded
back up, or I'm pressing charges for theft, fraud, and taking it to
the league.”

“Ok”

“You tell
that bastard I'm now officially madder than hell. You tell him when I
see him next he best have me in a straight jacket with nothing able
to be thrown. You just emphasize I'm taking it legal and we're going
to see how low I can get this before he owes me money for buying it.”

He smiled. “Ok”

“Nothing has
a price on it. I'm going to price it and see if he's willing to pay
it. IF not, he'll have them back.”

I went back out
and saw the receptionist. “Who's the office manager up here?”

“We don't
have one. I guess I'd be that person.”

“Good, you
just got the job. I need to know where the player's phone numbers are
and we've got to call them in.”

“They're
supposed to be meeting you out at the airport.”

“Nate is the
one who came. All the rest were no shows.”

“You sure?”

I said, “Nate,
tell her you were there.”

“I was
there, no one else was.”

She frowned, “They
were called. I called them.”

“Did you
mention a team meeting or practice?”

“Yes.”

“Well, call
them back and notify them they're suspended. Tell them they can make
their way back here to give what is in the team's name back and I'll
summarily fire them when they arrive. IF they'd like to keep their
jobs, they need to give me three good reasons as to why I shouldn't
fire and ten good excuses as to why they chose to disrespect me.”

She smiled and
nodded. “Ok, I'll get on the phone and get them in.”

“Jim over
there will help.”

She nodded and
said, “There's fifty eight of them. With Nate off the list,
fifty seven.”

I said, “There's
more than that. WE've got trainers, managers, coaches, water boys,
and everyone on down the line who are members of this team. EACH one
of them should be here for this meeting. Consider it a full staff
meeting to meet the new owner who is damned mad.”

She looked
serious. “It's going to take a while.”

“Hand me a
phone, I'll call.”

I turned to the
guys, “You guys ready to start making calls?”

“Sure”

We all grabbed a
phone in an office and started calling. As I spoke to guys, I laid
out what I expected and didn't elaborate who I was. Withing thirty
minutes, my list was completed. I looked over at Rob and he winked
and pointed. I looked out the window and saw a rat on a rafter. I
shook my head and went to the front.

The receptionist
looked up at me and motioned, she put her hand over the mouth piece
and said, “What can I get you hon?”

“A shotgun.
There's a rat on a rafter right out that window in there.”

“Oh, there
are a number of them.”

“We need an
exterminating crew called in for Monday.”

She nodded, “Yes
Mr Baker, this is Jan from the front office. I've been told by the
new owner to tell you since you missed the team meeting you're
summarily suspended. He wants to meet with you to fire you and in
order to keep you, you're to give three good reasons you want to stay
and ten good reasons as to why you chose to disrespect him.”

She looked up and
said, “IF he's on his way from the airport, is that a good
excuse?”

“Tell him
I'll forgive it. Tell him we're waiting.”

She nodded, “He
says he's waiting and you're excused from being suspended.”

She looked up at
me and said, “They all got called and told you weren't paying
them for the meeting.”

“Tell him
his contract states the meetings are considered a part of the
meetings. IF he chooses to violate his contract, it's on him. I've
got my lawyer here and we'll find our copies of all contracts.”

She spoke and then
hung up. “The files are all in here.”

We went into an
office and she said, “This is your office.”

“Where are
the keys for everything?”

“Should be
in the desk. He never used it.”

“Huh?”

“He never
came in except on game days.”

“Oh man, no
wonder this team has no respect for owners. They don't know what they
look like!”

“You don't
fit that mold either.”

“Let's hope
not!”

She chuckled. I
said, “Jan, thanks. I need to speak with you and Chris, but
he's on the phone.”

She nodded and
said, “Most of them are.”

“He's
probably ordering pizza and probably can't find a thin one in the
city.”

“You like
them thin?”

“Thin as a
cracker with lots of stuff on it.”

“Oh dear,
you're going to have a hard time of it here.”

“I'll get
used to it. I'll just have to think of it as a pizza cobbler.”

She laughed,
“Well, compared to what you like, that's what it'd be!”

We went in to
where Chris was. He hung up and said, “They're all assholes.”

“They'll all
be unemployed soon.”

“Who are you
going to get to play?”

“We've got
guys here. I'll get high school guys if I need to!”

He nodded.

I said, “Chris,
this is Jan. She's going to be doing your job while you're back home.
You two need to stay in communication.”

She asked, “He's
going to be office manager?”

“He's team
manager.”

“You're
promoting me again?” she said smiling.

“Jan, you've
been doing the jobs, you might as well get paid.”

“Women don't
do those jobs!”

“Why not?”

“They don't.
That's what everyone knows here.”

“Well, you
do. We'll see who else needs woke up to see things are changing.”

Chris said, “That
coach there said he's not coming in.”

“Ok, I'll
tell Grant I need him here and send the plane back.”

I pulled out my
cell phone and dialed.

“Hello?”

“I need you
here tomorrow. We've got problems.”

“I'll be
there. I'm rather busy right now.”

“Ask him if
he could call some of his team and get them to come with you. I need
players.”

“They were
called by Jan who is the receptionist/office manager/ and co team
manager and told to meet us at the airport. They were told we were
having a team meeting and practice. Someone called behind her an told
them we weren't paying for the meeting. If they had thought, they
would've realized their contracts state meetings and practices are a
part of their contracts. Their in breach for a damned dumb reason.

Now, I've got a
coach who flat our refused when he was called again. Chris spoke with
him and that's what he got told.”

“Chris spoke
with him?”

“We had to
man the phones to call everyone in to fire them. They're coming in
under suspension and they're being told they've got to give three
reasons for me to keep and ten for why they disrespected me. I'll
tell you that excuse of not being paid is going to only be one. I'll
also tell you I'll throw their contract in their face and show them
it's a breach.”

“Ok, send a
jet, I'll work on things from my end. This is rather short notice.”

“I've got to
see if we've got a 747 yet. If not, we're going to have to do
something to get everyone here soon.”

I hung up and
asked Jan, “Who would I contact to get a pa system out on the
field?”

“I'll get
them down there. They're here because there's a game here tomorrow.”

“Jan,
contact several moving companies. Tell them we need them Monday
morning. Tell them we've got to empty all these offices and get them
down to the field. We're going to exterminate from top to bottom and
all points in between.”

“Ok, I'll
get on the phone for that and get you a pa system.”

“I'm not
trying to disturb everything. I see housekeeping needed and I see
lots of things needing changed. I'm someone who won't rest until I
see it's righted.”

“Good, I'll
be happy working for you.”

Chris said, “You
might as well give her my job. It's going to be a while for me to be
able to do it.”

“Would you
play for me until I can get you in management here?”

“Yeah.”

“You can't
get paid, but I can make it good for you in a lot of other ways.”

“I'll find a
way for you to be able to do it.”

Rob came over and
said, “Jake, put money into his account. Have him pay everyone
to play. Tell him you need receipts of everything and not to give you
those receipts until next Summer. It's going to mess everyone up next
year otherwise.”

“Ok, what
about Chris being paid? Won't that mess him up?”

“You can
give him gifts. It's considered a friendship gift.”

“Good.”

Chris said, “Give
me cell phone towers. That'd be the same but way better.”

“Monday, we
need those end zone carpets ripped up. We're ordering new ones.”

She nodded, “Ok,
anything else?”

I looked around,
“Dan?”

Chris said, “He
went to merchandising.”

“Ok, if you
could get me a golf cart to run around this place, I'd be happy.
Well, you might make it eight of them so all the guys have them.”

She laughed,
“We've got carts downstairs in a garage.”

“OH man. Why
doesn't anyone know these things when we're walking!”

“It's a big
place. You know my number now. I'll get you things when you need
them.”

“We need to
contact the press. I want some of them here when we're having the
meeting. I figure if they're here putting the story out I want,
nothing gets said out of context.”

“Ok, I'll
get on that.”

She left the
office again and Chris said, “You needed her. She's got things
moving.”

“I know.”

“Let's go
get us some uniforms. I think it's going to look cool if I wear my
jersey to school.”

I smiled, “We'll
go to merchandising and get everyone outfitted. With the amount of
free stuff you'll be taking home, everyone will have stuff.”

He nodded, “I
want a steak sandwich. They're supposed to be good here.”

“Yeah, I
need to find out what I own here. I guess Jan would know.”

I went out into
the office and over to Jan. “Yeah hon.”

“I need to
know if you'd take Rob and I on a tour here and tell us what is what.
We also need to find out where the mansion is so I can get in there.”

“The mansion
is that building over there.”

“Huh?”

“That tower
is your mansion. He tore it down and built a building. Then, he found
out he couldn't do that, so it's called 'the mansion'. You own it.”

“I gotta
sleep in an office cubicle?”

“No, the top
two floors are your penthouse. There's apartments in there and
fortunately, you still own them. He was thinking about seeing if he
could sell them as condos but found he couldn't.”

“Good. Are
many open?”

“I'll
check.”

“When you
find out, tell the pilot to tell the steward on the plane he's got a
place to live. I told him I'd find him and his partner a place.”

She nodded. “Is
that a perc you're offering?”

“Sure, if
you need a place, look over yonder.”

She smiled, “I'll
probably need it. I imagine I'll not have a happy home when I go
there.”

“Why?”

“You fired
my husband. His job is the one I'm replacing.”

“Was he any
good?”

“He wasn't
bad.”

“What caused
us to lose money?”

“And owner
who wouldn't leave the money in to make money.”

“Well, I've
got no choice. I've got to pay for a team.”

“He'd be
able to help you manage.”

“He needs to
know the way it was ran is incompetent. I've got no assets lists and
nothing to see if they're stealing me blind.”

“Let me call
him. Would you interview him?”

“How much
did he make a year?”

“Seventy
five.”

“How much
did you make?”

“Thirty
five.”

“Tell him
I'll hire him for fifty five and raise you up to split the job with
him. If he'll take the pay cut and get me turned around with your
help, I'll get you both raises when it's time for a review.”

“So we run
it together?”

“He's out
the door. You're in. I'm not going to demote you to bring him back
in. Besides, you've got seniority on him now so if anyone goes, it'll
be him.”

She smiled. “I'll
call him.”

“You all
need a place to stay?”

“No, save it
for new players.”

“Ok, tell
him I need him for his phone dialing abilities because I've yet to
start on what I want done.”

She chuckled,
“He'll try pawning it off onto me.”

“Sorry, his
job is now beside you. As I see it, your chair out there is now
empty. We'll get someone, but she's not going to be a switchboard
operator.”

“I'll call
him.”

“Thanks.”

He went over and
dialed, “Rick, he wants to see you. I'll explain it when you
get here. Yeah, now get to moving!”

She hung up, “He
wanted to know if you were considering on taking him back.”

“I fired
everyone because they were all looking to me as having drills in
their hands and I saw a sinking ship.”

“I
understand. It's a bit hard to know when you're outside.”

“All I had
to go on was that contract he had me sign.”

“I never got
a copy of it. I don't know what it looked like.”

“I'll get
you a copy. When you see the clauses I added on, you'll see I opened
back up the bank vault to not have to pay as much as I did.”

“You paid
three hundred and twenty five million, right?”

“Yeah, but
the clause states anything not here I need to be here in order to run
the team gets put to rights and it comes out of that sale price. Now,
I'm going to put fencing up around this place and get the losses out
the door with people stealing. We've got to get a guard on that back
door and we've got to have an inventory control person there being
sure nothing goes back out.”

“That's a
wise move.”

“That
inventory control person is going to be sure things get here we pay
for. If not, then we're not paying for things not delivered.”

She nodded, “Good,
I've heard both. I've also heard you're paying for the players to
have food delivered to their homes and since it's been implemented,
it's went up almost eighteen times what it started being.”

“Huh?”

“It was
something like seven thousand dollars a week when it started. Now,
it's in the neighborhoold of two hundred thousand dollars a week.”

“Man! That
stops.”

“It's not in
their contracts, so it can stop.”

I turned around
and saw Rob in the file cabinet. “I need to get those
contracts. We're going to lay them out and have me go through them in
front of them. I'll tell them what I can and can't do. Then, I'll go
through the books and see what they're receiving. If it matches up,
they're ok. If not, I'll either go ahead with the termination or fine
them. Where's the bookkeeper?”

“It's done
by a firm.”

“Call and
tell them I need them here now. IF they can not, or will not get
someone here, you tell them I'll be shopping for another firm on
Monday. Ok?”

“Sure.”

“I need to
see books in order to know what's going on.”

“You know
what to look for?”

“Hang on,
let me show you what I can do. It's a natural gift, so know it's
something I'm not in school for.”

I went into the
office and said, “I need contracts hon.”

“They're on
the desk. I've got old accounting ledgers up until July first. Their
year started then.”

“Ok, what's
it look like?”

“That food
bill is extremely expensive.”

“It's
stopping. They're feeding the team by delivering food to them and
apparently, they're feeding anyone and everyone who wants to the add
to the list.”

“It's nearly
ten million a year.”

“Yeah, two
hundred grand a week.”

“Man!”

“It stops.
I'll provide a friggin' cafeteria here for them to eat and bring
their family. It's sure not going to cost that.”

“Don't give
them a thing. With what they make, they can afford to buy their own
groceries.”

He pointed at
another line and said, “I don't know what that company is, but
it's getting paid just about as much.”

Jan said, “Liquor
man.”

I said, “Rob,
it's stopping. I was told to open our own night club for just the
players and tell them either to go there and have a good time, or
take a suspension when they get in trouble off premesis.”

He nodded, “We've
got to get an addendum to their contract for it to happen.”

“I'll either
get it, or they'll be found in breach and fired. If playing means
something to them, they'll sign. If not, I'll tell the press booze
means more to them than the team.”

“You're
bringing in the press?”

“Yeah, Jan's
got to call them, but I want everyone to know I'm not messing around.
If they want to play the team as the bad guy, I'll show the press who
the bad guys are.”

“Ok, walk a
fine line there.”

“I am.”

I saw the guy
setting up a microphone down on the field. “Jan, tell him I
need some tables for these contracts and the players to interview to
get back on the team.”

She smiled, “I
like the tactic. You get what you want and it's hard ball all the
way.”

“If not,
it's going to be hard to get on another team in the middle of season.
They might think they've got me over a barrel, but I'll shut down our
season before I give an inch on this.”

Rob handed me the
contracts. “Here's the books, I'll bring them. We better get
down there, there's already a bunch of them in the locker room.”

“Ok, we'll
get started.”

We went down and
when we got to the field, I said, “I'll go get them. They need
to know it's going to be held out here.”

“I'll sit
here and have someone bring us a pitcher of pop.”

“They don't
have SunDrop.”

“They will
next year. Right now, their contract is with Coke.”

“We getting
a good deal from them?”

“Standard. I
think we could do better.”

“Ok, thanks.
By the way, I love you dude.”

“I love you
too. Do you know that's the first time we've said it to each other?”

“Really?”

“Yeah”

“I feel like
I say it all the time to you.”

“Me too.
It's something our hearts don't need to verbalize.”

I went to the
locker room and went in. “Guys, don't dress out. We're holding
the meeting on the field.”

Everyone gave me a
look and I said, “I'm Jake Martin. I bought this mess. The
meeting is on the field. I'll make a sign telling everyone else who
decides to show where to go.”

“You're not
going to get many.”

“When I
start shutting off loans, utilities, and all that food and booze, I
bet I get your attention and theirs. When padlocks start hitting
gates to estates and cars start getting repoed, I bet everyone finds
a way to hoof it down here. That's when I'll tell you to get those
shoes off as you're not a part of that contract any longer and ask
you to crawl to where I can get security to get you out. Now, does
that sound like I'm playing?”

“Man, I
might as well leave.”

“When you
do, leave that necklace. I've got a purchase order upstairs for it
telling the jeweler he's getting paid for it since you didn't have
the cash. Also, when you go outside, you'll see that TownCar is on a
wrecker. You're three months back on the damned thing and I'm
co-signer. Now, goodbye, I'll tell the press you were fired for lack
of interest and plenty of bills.”

“Man, I'm
joking.”

“I'm not!
You choose to disrespect me at an airport before you even know me?!
And then, you let me find out this whole place is an ode to how many
bills I've got to pay to a bunch of ungrateful jerks who can't meet
for a team meeting nor a practice!”

“We're not
getting paid for it.”

“It's in
your contract. IF you don't think I know your contracts, then call
your lawyers because that stunt just got you all in breach. I'll fire
before I give one inch.”

Another guy said,
“I'm getting to the field. It sounds like he's only interested
in firing people.”

“You're
right. I've got high school players on their way to replace you. They
sure don't cost me as much and they'll sure appreciate it more.”

“You can't
do that!”

“I can't?
The loophole is big enough to shove a football team through. As long
as I don't pay them, they're amateur. As long as each one of their
names has a missspelling on the roster, they're non-people. Do you
think I can't? You call your lawyer and he'll tell you not to fuck
with me because he just got out conned.”

I went to the
office and said, “Guys, for those about to leave, bring each
and every thing I'm paying for back and you won't be charged with
fraud or theft. IF anything is damaged and you choose to throw big
screen televisions out on the parking lot, you better see I don't
find a serial number to the things.”

I wrote a sign out
saying the meeting is on the field. I held it up. “It's simple,
but if you damage it, it's five million off your contract before I
sign you back on. That goes for everyone.”

I stuck it on the
door and said, “The contracts and the books are on the field.
I'll be waiting for those who want to play ball.”

I went back up to
the field and saw some of the press there. “Hi guys! I'm Jake
Martin. That hot guy over there at the table is my partner Rob
Musselman. We bought the team and I'll be playing quarterback. The
reason you're being called down here is because in buying the team, I
called a team meeting and practice. Out of the entire team, two
players showed...Nate Clemons and Baker. All the rest were no shows
and apparently thought their contracts didn't require them to show to
team meetings and practices. THAT put them in breach.

I'll tell you now
there are things on my accounting books which puts most of the team
in breach. Am I looking for things to breach them on? Not really, but
I'll not be told I'm an idiot and spoken down to by someone who I'm
paying ten million a year to who thinks he can't be replaced.”

“You're
playing quarterback?”

“Yeah.”

“Where've
you played before?”

“Moberly
Missouri high school. Last night, I got scouted by the Redskins,
Saints, and the Angels before the Angels' owner came back and tried
scuttling the valuables, trophies, and awards from the offices. For
that, he' facing being docked five million for each award or trophy
if he doesn't return them. For that, he'll face charges and league
suspension requests from me.

I paid three
hundred and twenty five million for this team. I've got the money and
if you think not, see who owns a good percentage in Intel, MCI
Worldcom/Sprint, and who also owns a lot of other stock. You'll see I
can afford it.”

“What's your
goal with the team?”

“To turn it
around and make it a winner. Right now, I've got to see if I can turn
around the ship I bought, or if I've got to go back to port and build
another because those guys over there are all on suspension right
now.

You folks are
welcome to listen to how it plays out. I'm not hiding anything and
you're going to be privy to how this goes. You know how it goes when
they sign a contract, but you don't know how it goes afterwards
except you hear when they play. Now you're hearing how it is when a
team has been used and abused by it's players.”

“Give us
examples.”

“Ok, say you
were on my team and I tell you that rather than going to the grocery
store where you'd be mobbed and your wife will have the brand of
Kotex she uses put out there, I'll tell you I'll buy the groceries
and have them delivered. Sounds good, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, now
it'd be good if they left it at that, but we went from a normal bill
to nearly ten million a year in payouts. Now, I know what you're
thinking because I am too...”who in the hell buys that much
food!” I'll point at them and say they've been feeding anyone
and everyone who wants to add to the list. Now, do I pay it? Or, do I
tell them the gravy train is over and I'll find another way to see
they are fed.”

“Why feed
them in the first place?”

“That's what
I'd like to know, but the only thing I can say is without food, that
seven million a year being paid out for liquor will get them juiced
quicker.”

“What!”
A woman asked.

“Yeah, the
team has been providing all the liquor they want to their houses. Ask
me how dumb I think it is, and I'll tell you the bar just shut.”

“No wonder
they're always in trouble!”

“And ma'am,
that stops. I'm a member of this city now and I'll not have my
employees out here terrorizing it's citizens. It's about me seeing I
do no harm and make it better for everyone.”

“Can you
play ball?”

“Hang on,
I'll show you something.”

I turned, “Baker!”

“Yeah.”

“Come on
over.”

He came over
smiling. “Bake, say hi to the press. They're about to see our
new offense.”

“Huh?”

“Hi, not
huh. It sounds like you're neanderthal if you go huh. I know Hi-eee
sounds like someone grabbed your nuts, but that's what we gotta say.”

He smiled. I
turned and said, “Folks, this is the Jake and Bake offense. He
runs, and I throw. The challenge is to see if he can outrun me
throwing.”

I said, “Bake,
go to the other end zone and I'll throw it to you. Ok?”

“Ok”

I said, “Folks,
he and I have never played before. He's going to be just as surprised
as you. I'll be back to help you raise your jaws up off the floor.”

I ran out and into
the other end zone. Bake turned and I sent him a missile. Suddenly,
all the guys on the benches were quiet.

I said, “Ok,
here's the next thing. Rushing. I'll do a 50 yard rush, you clock me.
If it's five seconds, you're wrong. If it's less than five seconds,
you gotta give me ten push ups for each tenth of a second less than
that five. Ok?”

Rob said, “Go!”

I ran and at the
fifty yard line, he said, “Three point nine, you slowed down.”

“I'm not
used to being on astroturf. It's slicker.”

“Oh.”

I ran over to the
press and said, “That's a hundred and ten pushups you guys owe
me.” I smiled and said, “Yeah, I wouldn't do them either.
You gotta be able to type out the story and report them.”

“So you're
going to be the new quarterback and Baker is going to be your
lineman.”

“Well, we'd
be creamed if we don't get some other guys, but I don't know if they
want to play or not. Let me go out and hold the meeting and I'll see
what we've got. Wait around because you'll soon find yourself
introduced to the new Angels and you'll be seeing a lot of faces not
staying on.”

I went over and
started calling names. When the guy got up there, I scanned his
contract and then, scanned the accounting books. I handed him the
addendum about public nuisance and asked him to sign. IF he signed,
he had to go and tell me why I should keep him. IF not, he left. IF
he gave me excuses which were anywhere near plausible, I kept him. IF
not, he left.”

“No, Grant's
on his way with more players, so you'll see we're going to be fine.”

I went over and
said, “Well, that's our team. We've got some coming who are
amateurs, but until I showed you what I could do, you thought I was
amateurish too.”

“You going
to sign more people?”

“I'm going
to ask you to put a public call out to anyone who's interested in
playing. You tell them to come to the stadium and try out. I'll hire
based upon what I see.”

“Really!”

“Yeah, but
you tell them I'm really wanting to see if I can get some older
players who've lost their contracts because they're skilled. It
doesn't mean I won't hire people off the streets at all. Just let
everyone know I'm giving everyone a chance.”

“You'll have
thousands of people lined up outside.”

“Well, I
know a bunch of guys who won't get another chance. They're down
packing their things right now and my lawyer is filing paperwork with
the Sheriff to take back homes, cars, and everything I can to cut my
losses.”

One woman said,
“I'm taking it the team made loans for them?”

“Yeah. It's
dumb, but smart from a banker's point of view. He knows the guy has a
contract, but he also knows he's got no credit. If the team signs
with him, it's to cover the cost of things if he doesn't make
payments. With these guys and the owner being in debt, no payments
got made and I'm the one who has to cover it. I'll pay it, but I
don't like it one bit.”

“So you're
stuck with a bunch of castles and cars.”

“And a team
which is skeletal. Oh well, the Buckaneers think they'll win tomorrow
and the odds makers will have us getting beat, but I'll give you a
tip...bet on my side.” I winked and smiled. “You'd win.”

“We can't
bet!”

“Man, go
down to the corner tap and see if you can get someone to do
it...well, that's like stacking the deck against you because they've
gotta be our fans, right?” I said with a big smile.

“I've gotta
go!” One guy said, “I know everyone is going to be
against you because they hate this team.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, it's
got the lowest satisfaction rate in the league.”

“Well tell
them the quarterback is gay and see if you can up the odds. If they
don't give you ten to one, then you're getting screwed.”

He took off and
the lady chuckled, “It doesn't matter to me you're gay. You
might want to not advertise it because you'll lose a bunch of fans.”

“I'm out to
gain fans based on my abilities. It's like me coming up and telling
you that you'd be a good reporter if you weren't a woman. Well, it's
based upon your abilities and not upon who you sleep with and what
you wear. I tell people who I sleep with because as a woman, you
can't hide it either.”

“Ok, so you
WANT people to know?”

“Yeah, and
here's why. IF I hide it, there's going to be one person out there
who will want to blackmail me. I'll have to pay and that's sure not
happening. BUT, you'd probably be right in me going out and having
problems. There's probably a lot of guys out there who think because
I'm smaller, I'm safe game to try beating up. I'll tell you now, as
good as I throw a ball, I can throw anything and tag them in their
forehead.”

She smiled. “Good
thinking.”

“Besides,
when I go out, I'll probably have some big guys nearby. They'll want
to be assured I stay healthy enough to play and get us to the
playoffs.”

“Do you
think you'll make it that far?”

“Yeah, don't
you?”

“Ummm.”

“Ma'am think
of it this way. Look at the Angels as a bird. She's beautiful, she's
classy, and she's been trying to fly with a bunch of dead weight
strapped to it's ankles. Now I've cut it loose and she's about to
really soar.”

She stood up and
said, “I'm excited. I'm not into football, but you've hidden
nothing. You've made us feel like we've got a front row to how it is
and it's that honesty which is going to really get people to thinking
you're way different.”

“Thanks.
Now, do me a favor. Up there is a sky box which is for the press.
Please come to the games and report from a woman's perspective. Tell
them what you see and what it's like. Then, go to the locker room and
pat a few butts if you want. I'll tell you now some of them are gay,
but a lot of them are straight.”

“Which ones
are straight?'

“I can't
tell you that. Look in the showers and if they drop the soap on
purpose, you know that's not a keeper.”

She laughed,
“You're hilarious.”

“I try.”

I turned around
and saw a guy come on the field. “Hello?”

He nodded and came
over, “My wife called and told me to get down here.”

“Your name?”

“Rick
Smith.”

“Hi Rick,
hang on a moment.” I turned to the woman and said, “I
appreciate you being here. I need to get him back on as a manager.
Excuse me.”

She smiled and
nodded. I said, “Ok, Rick, let's go for a walk.”

“Sure.”

We went up and out
the front door of the stadium. I said, “Rick, do you see what
we've got here?”

“What?”

“A three
hundred million dollar homeless shelter. Do you know why?”

“Why?”

“Because
there's not a fence in sight keeping anyone out and that door is open
nearly twenty four hours a day. Inside, we've got places to eat,
sleep, piss, and breed. If you don't think so, take a look inside and
you'll see rats big enough to carry away a football.

What I want is a
fence around this place. I want a fence over there which keeps our
parking separate from the fans out here. I want a wall put up which
stops a bullet so a fan's not standing there taking shots at our
exit.”

“Ok”

“Out here, I
want this place painted. Yeah, it's going to have to wait, but I want
it looking like it's brand new and I'm NOT going to pay fifty million
to get it done. If need be, I'll hire kids to do it with spray cans
and I'll have kids put up fence. They'll work cheap and they'll not
put up with mafia telling them not to work for me.”

“We don't
have a problem with mafia.”

“I'd say
not! I heard about that. So, what I'll tell you is I know some
characters who will keep me out of that limelight with them, but I
definitely want to know some of them.”

“Why?”

“Let me tell
you something. I know if someone bugs me I can go to them and things
happen. I know my hands aren't dirtied and I know all it takes is me
asking and them getting a nice seat in the house. Will I do it?
Faster than you can get me a cheese steak sandwich from that place
over there.”

“Jan said
you've got to talk with me about some things?”

“Yeah,
because I'll tell you now I'm hiring you for one reason and that's
because she was going to have to get an apartment over there if she
took your job. That's bullshit. So, I'll hire you back, you'll have
marital harmony and you'll do that job together. What you won't do is
you won't use her as a secretary because if I see you are, I'll put
you out the door in a flash. She's got seniority on you now in that
job and she knows how to do it. So, you get a pay cut and she gets a
pay raise and together, you make the same as what you two made
previously. Ok?”

“Ok”
He said sounding unsure.

“The
difference is this...I gotta come off as a hard ass in order for you
to see I'll take you out before I fuck with you. If you understand
that, you'll understand I'll be nice from here on out and you'll get
percs out the ass and gifts I give to friends. However, if you fuck
that woman on anything, I'll treat you like an in-law and her like
family.”

“Who's
taking her spot?”

“No one. She
asked the same thing because she feels you don't know how to dial a
phone. I'm not hiring a receptionist to be your switchboard, I'm
hiring one to represent this team and do it in the best light.”

“You've got
to have someone up there.”

“Rules are
made to be broken. I figure in a glass house, shit gets broken really
easily. IF you're sitting in a glass office and you see someone up
there standing waiting to talk with someone, you can get up and walk
out there and see what they want. IF not, I'll be in my office and
just as soon as I get through going out to speak with them, I'm going
to see why Rick's ass couldn't leave a chair!”

“You're
going to be working here?”

“I'm owner.
Believe it or not, that office was built for a reason. Believe it or
not, when I go into that office, the losses stop. Do you think I can
pay for this company with what I save a year making cuts? I already
cut nearly sixty million, and I've not even got to concessions and
merchandise!”

“You gotta
replace players.”

“Yeah, I'll
do it and I'll fill a team with a bunch of good players who make
seven hundred and fifty grand.”

“Not
happening.”

“Rick,
listen, you see that guy over there?”

“Yeah.”

“Go offer
him seven hundred and fifty grand to come into this house and play
ball and see if he doesn't shit his pants. He'll stink you out of the
place making you see stained drawers, but he'll be in there in a
flash. The ten million dollar contract, to me, is for someone who is
already proven to play ball. That contract will be given to keep
them. What you don't know is I'm going to have a five year lock on
that man at that seven fifty and he'll think he's delirious with
happiness.”

“How?”

“Ok, look at
it. Today, I got a bus load of mansions. I got a train load of used
cars. I've got that guy thinking he's making more than he's ever made
in his life and I've got me knowing he's happy at the seven fifty
this year and he'll think he's great next year at a million. The next
year, I'll get him for a million and a half and at three the year
after. On year five, I'll give him five million. Do you realize I
just got him for five years at less than twelve million? Well, bucko
over there is going to be happy because I'm going to have him in that
mansion and I'm going to have him with six cars out front. He's going
to be happy because I'm giving him that house and those cars to drive
and keep if he makes it to the end of that contract.

Now, what did I
put out for him?”

“Whatever
the cost of those houses, cars, plus twelve million.”

“Wrong. I
didn't put out a damned thing because if you think that man didn't
make me money, you're an idiot. Bucko over there doesn't have
advertising royalties, he doesn't have contractual attachments, and
he's not got a publicist, agent, manager, and makeup artist all
sucking his dollars away. No, he's going to have that the next
contract when he goes to someone else. So, you smile and you tell
Bucko over there he's great and we'll take him to the bank.”

“Man!”

“Rick, it's
a business. It's a game, but it's a business in which I'll play like
a game. Today, I stacked the deck. I kept those I can use and I got
rid of those who tried to use me. I got rid of the people clogging my
doctors and I've gotten rid of a lot of things which just plain cost
me money.

Tomorrow, we play
a game. When the game is over, you're going to stand there and
stagger because I'll tell you it's going to be won by us...the
underdogs, and that score is going to be 42 to six. I'll show you DJ
over there will have a black eye and I'll have a bruised leg, but
I'll tell you now, that game won will have shown you and everyone
else who doesn't think I can't tell the future they're wrong.”

“Can you?”

“Yeah.”

“Man!”

“You need to
play your cards right because she's already keeping score. You fuck
like a bus driver from hell. You stop before she gets off. She keeps
score and she's to the point she's ready to give you the boot. Today,
she was there. She wants to blame it on you, but that's because she
thinks it's a failure if she give up. I'll tell you if I was with
you, the second you told me to go down on that thing without that
bush trimmed, I'd go down with a Bic lighter and sing “You
light up my life” while you howled along. Now, if she's got a
bush which bugs you, you trim it up for her. You do the face dive to
glory in it because I'll tell you now, you'd do it into your
girlfriend Mandy who lives over in my apartment building and as soon
as I see she's not on my payroll anywhere, I'm throwing her out.”

“Oh man.”

“Yeah Rick,
your wife loves you and you're a piece of shit. You're nuts are in
the vice because I know this shit and I know Mandy with the prompting
of a roll in the hay with one of my players and a boob job, she'll
gladly testify against you at your divorce hearing.”

“Don't say
nothing.”

“I haven't,
but you need to realize I'm not an idiot and the reads I do on you
come back to me and tell me if you've made them different or if
you're up to no good. And, if you think I've got someone tailing you,
you need to think about this...I read past, present, and future. I
don't read thoughts, but those three. I'll tell you no one knows
about you sitting up on top of that bridge when you were fourteen and
why you were there. I know and I also know your dad finally found
peace at the bottom of that bottle when the liver ruptured. Your mom
who trucked ass out and left you, is in New Jersey working in a bar
called Shep's. She's a nice woman and it haunts her to death she left
her kid. She thought she was getting rid of the beatings and rape
sex, but it's still haunted her to celibacy.”

“Oh man.”

“Your
future, is with Jan if you don't fuck it up. Your future is with no
one because the moment you fuck it up, you're going to get fired and
you're going to drive to Shep's. Unfortunately, on the way, you're
going to pass the grim reaper at the toll booth and he's going to see
Jan's not in that car. He's going to send a Amoco oil truck your way
and needless to say, your last thought will be what I told you about
getting a lube job and going.”

“So don't
mess it up.”

“You're an
idiot. If that's all you got out of what I just told you, you're an
idiot. I'm telling you that you've got a woman who loves you who is
wanting to go home and bang your hairy nuts off to see if it's
changed. She's been saving a negligee for a moment like this and
she's wanting to rekindle. You give her the big o to the point she's
climbing the walls and that woman will suck through a forest that
thing you call a dick.”

“Trim the
bush?”

“Damn dude,
listen to me. If I gotta tell you more, I'll be in the fuckin
bedroom. You go out and you get flavored shaving cream. You go home
and you tell her it's the start of something special. You trim her
and you dive. She trims you and she dives. You come up for air and
you fuck. You cum and you keep fucking like your marriage depends on
it because if you roll off and light that Kool, I'll be there to
stuff it up your ass.”

I turned around
and said, “Rick, get me a fucking fence out here. Get me a
landscaper who will put in some trees in the shapes of our players
numbers and footballs and you get me a banner up there which
advertises Jake and Bake and yeah, you put up there it's for Angels
because if we beat Saturday Night Live to the punch, they'll not put
it out in front of twenty million people.”

“Ok,
anything else?'

“In four
weeks, we're coming home here to play. By then, I'll have been on
Saturday Night Live. I'll have been on Leno and I'll have been on
with Regis and Kathy Lee. People will think I'm hot and they'll think
I'm a star. Women will love my ass, and gays will be begging me to
show my chest and stomach one more time.

What I'm saying is
we're coming home in four weeks. I want anyone and everyone in this
city who is about something to welcome us home. I want to shake hands
with these people and I want them to finally get my ass on a parade
float for Thanksgiving. I'll do all that because Ben Franklin didn't
put the turkey as our national bird and will be proud to represent
this team.”

“Man, you're
more interested in playing, aren't you?”

“It's all a
game. I'm playing free in order to play because they told me I
couldn't afford me. Now I can and you're going to see me keeping my
salary at zero. It's good for publicity and it's damned shrewd to the
tax man.”

“Nice.”

“Yeah, so
let's go back in and while you're at it, why in the hell do we have
those sorts of covers on the lights when it should be footballs? It
looks like a friggin' socker ball for chrissake.”

“Anything
else?”

“Not until
Spring. Then, we'll seal the lot and do a lot more with the paint.
One thing I'm going to want is some permanent structures out here
which have tent tops and barbeque grills so tailgating isn't stuck
out at people's vehicles.”

“What's that
point?”

“IF people
can ride the bus here, they get to be a part of the festivities out
here. It brings comraderie amongst the fans and it gives us a way to
play it.”

“Is that
all?”

“No, hell
no! With tables and tents out here, we can have rummage sales!”
I said rolling my eyes, “ What the hell! Do you believe that?”

“It sounded
like a good idea.”

“A good idea
to slum down this neighborhood further and make all those shops over
there become a thing of the past.”

“You against
the neighbors?”

“No, they're
great. Sixteen bars across the street sending us their drunk so they
can empty out and get a better crowd while we're playing is great. I
mean, we're out to help our neighbor and they're out to help us.”

“You own
those buildings.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Then give
them thirty day notice they're out of here. I'll not have some kid
being subjected to that in order to come enjoy his weekend visit with
his dad.”

“Man, that's
cynical.”

“No, cynical
is all the drunks knowing dad by name and slapping a brewsky in his
hand while little Johnny gets to figure out why mom divorced him.”

“A bunch of
empty buildings aren't going to look good for the neighborhood.”

“No, that it
wouldn't. So, lets put our players faces on them and sell their
merchandise with their favorite food in there. I could have my
favorite SunDrop soda with my barbeque ribbette and Rob could have
his SunDrop with his favorite moonpie s'mores.”

“Huh? A moon
pie is a S'mores!”

“Nah, it's
not hot. A moonpie s'mores is a moonpie thrown in the microwave for
fifteen seconds. It gets all gooey and fresh.”

We went back in
and he asked, “Ok, is there anything else you want?”

“Security.
You get me security in here so people see guards. I'm not talking
about security like that man hiding out in the coffee room in the
basement, but standing up here and asking for identification and
reasons why someone is in here.”

“That's a
bit paranoid, don't you think?”

“Hmmm, John
Lennon probably would've appreciated having some security outside of
his condo who were a little paranoid. Don't you think?”

“Ok, I'll
get security.”

“One last
thing and I'm doing it severely just to fuck with you, ok?”

“Yeah.”

“You need to
see if someone has the cologne name fagrance R.”

“Huh?”

“If you
AREN'T in it, it's not in you. That's like this team. IF you aren't
in it, it's not in you. You're not a member of the team unless you're
working. So, be a member.”

“I'm not
getting it.”

“DO me a
favor, go get some flavored shaving cream. At least you'll make Jan's
day.”

“You don't
want me to work today?”

“Do what I
asked and that's it.”

I turned and took
off. I turned back around, “Where do I get golf carts?”

“The
basement.”

“What door?”

“Over on the
other side.”

“Ok, anyone
there?”

“Should be,
it's the maintenance area.”

“Thanks.”

As I walked away,
I was thankful I didn't have to spend too much time with the guy. I
pitied Jan, but really thought Grant would like him.

I pulled out my
cell phone and called Jan. “Yeah love.”

“Call the
maintenance people and tell them to wheel me a golf cart this
direction as I'm heading there. I figure I won't have to walk far if
they just drive.”

“Rick done?”

“Hon, I
really like you. I hope you don't mind if I can't stand him.”

“He's a
great guy. He's probably just nervous.”

“Everything
has to have a reason and be micromanaged for him to realize it's
already been done for him when he's told to do something.”

“Let him
stay on the team.”

“I'll keep
him there, but the second you say he goes, he's gone. If you say it
in jest; don't, because he'll already be gone.”

“You really
don't like him?”

“He's going
to come up and ask you if I'm serious or if I'm strange. You just
look really serious at him and say, “He called me asking if I
cough up a fur ball after sex.” He'll get the point.”

“You
didn't!”

“Yeah, I
sorta did. I mean, the man is a pussy. I don't know how you like him
but I swear if you'd just go the other way, you'd be happy.”

“No, gay
guys don't do anything for me.”

“How about
butch females, I mean you got a wimpy male, so it'd be a step up.”

She laughed,
“Don't, you're killing me with that.”

“Ok, call
maintenance about the cart. I'll get off here. I've already walked
about a mile down here.”

“It's not
that big.”

“Who in the
hell designs a space like this as a giant horseshoe? It's dumb.”

“It's
supposed to be genius architecture.”

“Nah, dumb
is more like it.”

She laughed and
hung up. Soon, a cart came whizzing up. “Thank God, where do I
get these things?”

“Let me show
you.” He wheeled around and took me down to their garage.

“Ok, keep
all these juiced up because my people are going to really be using
them”

“They won't
fit in the elevator.”

“Huh?”

“Don't put
it in the elevator. You'll get it stuck.”

“Who did
that?”

“Someone a
long time ago. It jammed the doors.”

“The
handicap spirals are cool, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Good, I'm
dying to try it out going downhill. I bet I could really get up some
speed.”

“The wall is
hard down at the bottom and the brakes aren't that good.”

“Ok, it
sounds like you've done all the fun stuff, what's the best stuff to
do?”

“The slide
ride across the girders.”

“Show me.”

“We gotta go
up top.”

We went up on the
golf cart and went through a door. Suddenly, we were out in rat land.
I turned and said, “When they get rid of the rats and mice,
show them that door. I know they're out here.”

“Yeah, just
wait until you're out on the field and some get in a fight up here.
They'll knock each other off on you.”

“Let's hope
it's the other team.”

“No way to
differentiate to them. All they know is they're going to try to claw
what they can in order to live.”

“Man, that's
cool.”

“Over here
is the slide ride.”

“Ok, show it
to me.”

“It's an
emergency thing to get out in the middle of the roof. IF the roof
gets stuck, it lets us go out and see what's holding it.”

“Cool.”

“What's neat
is it's tension is for when the roof is open. If it's shut, the
tension is slack and it allows you to go to the floor.”

“How fast?”

“Fast fast.
You won't hit the floor, but you''ll go close.”

“Try it and
show me.”

“Ok, you sit
right here and straddle this bar.”

“Ok”

“Now, you
push out and when gravity happens on the cables, you'll pick up
speed.”

He went out about
twenty feet and the cables went down. As he crept out, it picked up
speed and the cable sagged more. Soon, he was whizzing down the cable
and it was sagging more and more until it was nearly to the Astroturf
of the floor.”

“Man! How do
you get it back up?”

“Push that
button by the box.”

I pushed the
button and it was like the tension went up on the cable. As the cable
rose, the slide cart came towards the side. When it got to me, I got
on and pushed out. Soon, the cable sagged and the cart started to
speed up and the cable began to sag more. It was cool because it was
a controlled free fall.

When it got to the
floor, I lifted my feet and got down until my butt was rubbing the
Astroturf. I got off and he said, “That's the best ride in the
house. No one knows about it except you and I.”

“Keep people
from this spot tomorrow as I'll make my entrance that way. It's
cool.”

“Your
insurance company would eat us alive. They'd insist you weld that
door shut in order to keep people from doing it.”

“Oh, well,
tell the rat people about those rats up there when they come.”

“Ok, I'll
tell you it's best to use a pellet gun. It beats baits because you
know they're dead when they fall. With baits, they get sick and
fall...and you don't know when that's going to be.”

“Well, we
want it to be sooner than later. Not tomorrow soon, but within the
next three weeks.”

“I'd go with
a lot more bait than normal since it's going to be empty in here.”

“Thanks.
Let's go get another golf cart from here so I know the shortcut to
get there.”

“It's over
there.”

He pointed to a
corner and I said, “Lead the way.”

We went to the
corner and he showed me a doorway. We went through it and down some
steps. It lead us right to the door for the carts.”

“Man, that's
a whole lot faster.”

“Here, use
that plug in and plug it in when you park it. I have a feeling you'll
want one at your office.”

“And at the
door I come in over there.”

“You should
park over here. It's right out to the street and is always empty.”

“I need to
get a car for here, but show me where to enter.”

We went out and I
saw the entrance in between two evergreens. I said, “Man, this
is way good. I'll be parking here.”

“Those steps
gets you right to the parking garage for carts and then you're good
to run wherever.”

I appreciate the
pointer. Now, do I get a key from you for that door, or someone
else.”

“It's never
locked.”

“Ok, just
don't have it locked the day I come in that way.”

He smiled, “It'll
be open.”

We went in and I
got on another cart. “Thanks.”

He waved and I
took off. When I got up to the main floor, I went over to
merchandising. I parked and saw Dan. “Hey Dan.”

“Hey kiddo,
you got rats.”

“Yup,
they're on the schedule to be evicted.” He threw out something
into the middle and I said, “What's that?”

“Rat
damaged. Some are small holes, others are bigger holes, but it's all
damaged.”

“Ok, we
total it up and take it off the sale price.”

“Yeah, but
some of this stuff is four years old. It's not moving.”

“Write it
all off and let's get it out of here.”

“I'm glad
you think like me. It's the best decision you could make.”

“You have a
moment?”

“Sure.”

“Come on, I
wanna show you something.”

We went out and I
got on the cart. “Where'd you get the cart?”

“I'll show
you. It's easy to get there once you know where.”

“Ok”

We went to the
main entrance and I had him drive through the doors as I held them
open. When we got outside, I drove around the lot and said, “You
see those bars over there?”

“Yeah.”

“They're
shut in a month. I'm pulling their lease and closing them. I own the
buildings it seems.”

“Ok”

“Start
thinking about individual players merchandise and make stores
exclusively to them. I want this whole area out there to be a fan
mecca for the Angels.”

“Nice idea.”

“We're
changing this out here. There's going to be fencing put up so people
just can't roam over here and there's going to be a pass key
identification system for us. I want us to slide the key through to
enter, otherwise, the doors will be locked except on game day.”

“You sound
concerned.”

“Come on,
I'll show you how easy it is to access this building.”

We went around the
end to employee parking.

“Remember
this?”

“Yeah.”

“Employee
parking. This is where your favorite football star goes in and this
is where the lunatics can blow you away.”

“It needs to
change.”

“Oh, don't
stop there because it gets better.”

We went around the
sidewalk and into the maintenance parking.

“This is
maintenance parking. We can park here because it's the fast trip to
the golf carts. Through that door and you'll be in the golf cart
garage.”

“Ok”

“Feel free
to park here because that door is open twenty four – seven.”

“Ooh.”

“Yeah, even
if we locked the doors, they'd keep this open. You tell me if I want
to kill me, how I'm going to come in.”

“You need to
get them on the pass key thing too.”

“Yeah, but
get this because it gets weird. With a pass key, all you have to have
is a pass key to slide through the slider and the door opens. Yeah,
it stops ninety five percent of the people, but the five percent who
want to kill me are going to know if they use a manilla envelope and
a copy machine, they can get a pass key of their own and not have to
worry.”

“Ok, so up
the security.”

“Yeah,
that's already been ordered. I'm telling you that area out there
needs to have a gate. It needs to discourage people from parking out
here who don't belong. The same goes for employee parking. And same
goes for the regular parking lot when it's not game day.”

“You sound
irked.”

“Yup, I'm
planning on camping out on the fifty yard line tonight. I'm planning
on doing it with a few of my friends. How do you think I'm going to
handle it when I see about two hundred homeless people coming in and
sleeping with us.”

“Are you
against the homeless?”

“No, I just
don't like it when they could mess up my security.”

“Ok, so
create something for them.”

“Where?”

“Each one of
those buildings over there has a second and third floor. Create dorms
for them to stay. Make them a little place they can call their own.
Give that to them and you'll have true blessings.”

“You gotta
help.”

“I will.”

“They can't
interfere with the customers downstairs.”

“Make the
front door to the upstairs be the emergency escape. Put up a back
entrance and use that. One thing you COULD do would be to hire them
as your security. Give them a job, a sense of purpose, and get them
to protecting the places and you'd have a good situation.”

“Ok, we've
gotta work on it.”

“You're
going to have Halloween here within a week. Then, it's Thanksgiving
and Christmas. Any plans for decorating?”

“I'd love
to, but I don't know what they've got here.”

“Let's go in
and ask the maintenance people. They should know.”

I parked and we
went in. I saw the guy I spoke with earlier and said, “Hey, I
need to know if they've got anything for Christmas decorations?”

“Some, but
not many. They decorate the entrance and that's it.”

“Ok, could
you show us what they've got?”

“It's in
this room over here.”

He took us to the
room and opened it. He snapped on the light and Dan said, “Ok,
is this it?”

“Yeah.”

Dan turned to me
and said, “It's not much, but it's a starting point. You need
to concentrate on this.”

“Why?”

“I want you
to be a destination for the holidays. I want everyone to think of
Christmas and instantly have your city say to other people they don't
know Christmas until they've seen your stadium.”

“Ok, Where
do we go with it?”

“Homeless
people. I'm sure we'll find some who were in the construction trades.
We can get them to building gingerbread houses, toy soldiers, huge
packages with lights all over them, and of course Santa on the roof.
BUT, I want your whole building being lit up like a giant present
with an Angel coming out in lights. It's like it's a present which
opens itself and give itself to the fans.”

“Cool.”

“It's not
hard to do. What it takes is a lot of rolls of mylar. I can get that,
but we need to have the mylar stitched and grommeted so it can be
held together with ropes. We can suspend it from up top and then run
the ropes down and make each strip of mylar be fastend to the one
next to it. If you do that all the way around, you've got a giant
package.”

“Make it
gold with a white ribbon...that's the team colors”

He smiled. “Ok,
gold with white ribbon. You'll want the Angel to be in white lights.”

“I'm not
following on the Angel part.”

“Ok, it's
really the easiest part of all.”

“Ok, tell me
what it is.”

“You know
those giant balloons they have in the parade?”

“Yeah.”

“One of
those. Rather than have gas fill it, you've got a bunch of fans down
below which all turn on at once and blow the thing up. One moment
it's not there and the next, you've got an Angel hatching out of the
package with mylar fluttering up into the air on fans and making it
look like its really coming through.”

“Cool.”

“Now, to get
the lights, you put the Angel inside out and you stitch fasteners
inside so the strings of lights will go in there. You put the lights
in and it's lit.”

“Ok, that
sounds neat.”

“As you
know, there are tons of ways we could have the Angel. We could have
it with wings spread, standing tall, with it's face lit, or however.”

“Hang on, I
want to ask something different.”

“Ok”

“This is
going to be way out there, but I'm seeing it and you need to bear
with me because I know what I want, it's just me describing it.”

“I can
wait.”

“I want a
huge blow up football. One the side, I want an Angel in lights. I
want it to look like the wings are flapping and it's going for a
dive. Then, I want it to say, AKRON ANGELS.”

“Wow!”

“I want
those letters to spell out in a fast sequence so it's looking like
it's being typed on a typewriter. Maybe we could do it in quarter
second intervals for each letter. It'd take less than five seconds to
light up the whole thing, but it'd all be on timers so the Angel goes
flap flap, flap flap, flap flap, flap flap, dive.. that's five
seconds. Then it's dark and it spells everything out in five seconds
and holds for one. So, in twelve seconds you've got all that
happening and it happening five times a minute. The traffic on the
interstate can see it and no one's eye is distracted for too long.”

“How big of
a football?”

“As big as
the dome. I want it as tall as the building. I don't want it to be
structural, or solid, but I want it to be able to be undone and
folded up like a tent. I want it to be packed away and not take up a
bunch of space. BUT, I don't want a windstorm to take it down and
blow it over that interstate. That'd be terrible.”

“Let me see
what I can do. I know I can't get it for this year, but we can for
next year.”

“Can you get
the ball done in the bronze brown?”

“Sure. So,
you want gold mylar with white ribbon and a bronze football.”

“Yeah.”

“That's no
problem. I'm going to have to see what we can do about those lights.
They've got fibreoptics, but I heard CocaCola paid a million for a
sign with them.”

“IF we
gotta, we gotta. At least it's a way of us decorating the building.”

“You don't
have a problem with that?”

“No, not at
all. Don't cover up fire escapes, and we'll be fine. Just help me get
a winter wonderland with trees out there with lights, and a village
and lit packages. It'll look good.”

“How about
other sorts of lit signs like old cars, trucks, or whatever.”

“How lit?”

“How lit do
you want it?”

“I'd like to
have a truck with it looking like it's all lights with the wheels
looking like they're going around. I'd also like a train with cars
full of toys, and maybe a jack in the box, and a teddy bear.”

He smiled, “Ok,
we'll do those.”

“Lots of
fake snow. Cover the ground in blankets of the stuff. Put underlights
so it glistens.”

“Ummm, Jake,
I hate to tell you, but this really isn't my specialty.”

“Oh, ok,
we'll have to get someone.”

“I'll help,
but I think you're doing great. How'd your meeting go?”

“Ok, not
well, but well.”

“What's that
mean?”

“IF I don't
have us playing and don't get some other players, we're really going
to be praying for no injuries.”

“DJ already
has permission.”

“I hope you
say that after tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“He'll have
a real shiner.”

“Is he going
to be hurt bad?”

“No, just
that, but the good news is we'll win.”

“What's the
score going to be?”

“Forty two
to six.”

“Man, I
gotta call that in and bet like hell.”

“Put a
hundred grand on it for me.”

“You can't.”

“Hey, if you
do it under your name, that's cool.”

“Let's see
what the odds are.”

“It's going
to be terrible. I bet you they have us being beat way worse than
that.”

“Let me see
your phone.”

“Here. Just
remember a hundred grand for me.”

He called and
spoke to someone. He said, “Eighteen to one odds against the
Angels. Ok, could I put a bet on that?” He paused and said,
“That's a whole helluva lot.”

I nodded and then,
he said, “Ok I want to bet a hundred and ten thousand on the
Angels. Yeah, I'm good for it.”

He said, “Hand
me your Mastercard.”

“Huh?”

“Your card.
They want your card.”

“If I do
that, I'm out of the fucking league!”

“He's a
player. He doesn't want to use his card. He'll be out of the league
if you find it worth your while to report him instead of pay him.”

He said, “They're
getting approval.”

“Would they
need approval to take my money if I lost?”

“No.”

“Jeez!”

Someone came on
and apparently they weren't good. He handed me the phone and I said,
“Ok, this is Jake Martin. I'm underage, I own the Angels, and
I'm the quarterback. I'm betting on the game and if you're going to
put me out of the league on this, I'll bet a million.”

“Where'dya
get the money kid?”

“I own
stock. You wanna piss test too?”

“Kid, ya
gotta smart mouf.”

“Well, if
you were taking my money, you'd sure not have to check to see if it
was good. I guess you don't like me having confidence in my team.”

“I heard you
got stupid and fired the team.”

“No, I got
smart and cut all the dead weight. I left those who want to play and
just enough to keep us on the field. Yeah, we're the under dogs, but
do you have any stats for me down there?”

“No, that's
why the odds are so against you.”

“I can throw
three twenty easily, run a fifty in three point six as of this
afternoon, and rush more than you'd ever want to know betting against
me.”

“Kid, I'll
take your bet and bet the same beside ya. I like your confidence and
I like your ability to scare the piss out of me with that sort of
money. If you lose, you gonna pay?”

“If I lose,
I'll promise you I'll pay before I jump off my building. Does that
tell you how strong I feel about this?”

“Ok, would
you like to up the odds?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, get me
some specifics.”

“Let me
think, the score will be forty two to six...us winning of course.
I'll have a sore leg, DJ Carter will have a black eye. I'll have
thrown for more yards than I've ever thrown so far, so that's over a
thousand. And I'll have rushed for seventy eight yards. DJ will have
a touch down and Chris will have a touch down and Rob will have a
touch down. Baker will have two touch downs.”

“Anything
else?”

“You want
more?!”

He laughed, “I'm
writing this down to get odds against it all. Right now, I see the
odds at over five hundred to one all that will be.”

“Cool, I can
pay off the team. When you gonna pay me?”

“Two weeks.
It'll take two weeks.”

“How are you
going to pay me?”

“Bank draft
from Vegas.”

“They'll
barbeque me!”

“You paying
off your team with it?”

“Yeah, some
of it. They'll owe me a lot of money if I win that much.”

“So will a
bunch of people.”

“Well, what
do you have for odds we'll make it to the playoffs?”

“Huh?”

“Playoffs.
We'll make it to the playoffs, but we won't win.”

“What
place?”

“I'm seeing
a big three. Can you come in third?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, we'll
come in third.”

“Any other
predictions?”

“Nah, I'd
win too much money and you'd never take a bet from me again.”

“Now how am
I gonna get money from you if you lose?”

“I'll fly it
to Las Vegas. You're out there, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, I'll
fly it out there. When I get there, I'll call you. We'll meet and
have coffee. Then, I'll come back here and jump off my roof.”

He laughed, “Kid,
you're a little wop trapped in a kid's body.”

“Yeah, it
keeps trying to get out. I gotta teach my dick to tie my shoe laces
it drags so low.”

He laughed and
said, “Ok, I'm taking this bet because I know you're a kid and
you can afford it. How do you know Dan the Man?”

“We're
friends. He's a real sweetheart.”

“Yeah, you
tell me another.”

“Do you
wanna speak with him again?”

“Nah, but
call me if you win. I'll be glad to speak with ya.”

“What if I
lose?”

“If you
lose, we'll speak, but I'll never bet beside you again.”

I laughed, “Ok,
you just wanted to win some.”

He chuckled, “Bya
kid.”

I hung up and
said, “Nice guy.”

“Jimmy the
Greek.”

“I thought
he was Italian.”

He laughed, “Yeah,
he's Greek.”

“He sounds
Italian.”

“When you
see him, you tell him he's Greek. He'll laugh.”

“Why is it
everyone doesn't think you're nice?”

“I'm not
nice.”

“Yeah, tell
me another.”

We went out into
the hall and he said, “I'm taking a buggy up front. I need it
for that throw out stuff.”

“Save that
stuff back because Chris is probably going to take it home.”

“Ok”

“I'll meet
you up there.”

I went out and
drove around. It was hard opening the doors and getting the cart
through, but I made it. From there, the drive to merchandising was
easy. I pulled up and went in.

Dan came in and
said, “What ya staring at?”

“I'm seeing
gold slatted walls with a white ceiling and bronze brown up around
the ceiling and down here under the counter. That back wall is white
and it's more like cork because it's got jerseys with pins stuck in
them to hold them up.”

“Ok”

“Out here,
we've got things hanging from the ceilings which look like cut off
jerseys. The bottom part with the numbers show, but it's jersey
material.”

“OK, that
sounds neat.”

“Back there,
we've got the jerseys in tubes. They're rolled up and put in clear
plastic tubes. There's bins with lots of tubes in them and they're in
numerical order. Our punt guy's number is first and then mine.”

“Sounds
neat, easy, and a good way to do it fast.”

“Yeah,
you're going to have a problem with the ball caps. They keep falling
over. We'll finally have a metal rack which makes it easer.”

“What sort
of rack?”

“Long. Let
me draw it for you.”

I drew it and
said, “It's simple in plan, but that's the easiest way to store
a bunch of them without them falling over.”

He nodded and I
said, “Dont go for those visor things.”

“Why not?”

“Ink bleed.
Something about them has the ink fading and bleeding off. People will
sweat and the ink will be gone before they've even left the
building.”

“Ok, those
are out.”

“Those Angel
lighters you showed me are going to be incredible sellers. Get about
eight times as many as you planned on ordering.”

“Ok”

“Also, get
Jared's number 78 and make a jersey for him on there. On the back put
a photo of him on them. We'll make a park from the proceeds and have
a moment in each game where it's like the seventh inning stretch
which is Jared's moment....otherwise to become known as Jared's john
rush.”

He laughed, “Ok,
when's that going to be?”

“Between
third and fourth quarters.”

“They're not
going to let that be legal.”

“You'll be
amazed at how we'll pull it off. Grant will call a time out and burn
one. The lights will go down and Jared's image will go up on those
screens. We'll have his video play silently and we'll burn out the
time out for Jared.”

He smiled, “That'd
do it.”

“Every game
we'll do it even if the game is close.”

“You loved
him?”

“More than
you know.”

“Why'd you
end up with the Musselman kid?”

I leaned in and
said, “He came back in him.”

“Huh?”

“Robbie was
going to kill himself. Jared came and the souls traded places. Now
it's Jared's soul in Rob and he's Rob now instead of Robbie to me.
Ask DJ and anyone who knew Jared and they'll tell you it's Jared.”

“Really?”

“Everything's
the same.”

“Man, he
loved you enough to come back?”

“Yeah,
that's why I gave him half the team. If it had been Robbie, there'd
be no way.”

“I'm glad
you explained it to me. I would've been wondering the rest of my
life.”

“Someone
would've told you.”

I paused and said,
“What's up with concessions?”

“I went in,
looked around, turned around, and walked out. I'll deal with it when
those people are out of there.”

“Let 'em
have it tomorrow, but after that, it's gotta be washed out with fire
hoses.”

“Ok, why
aren't you shutting them down?”

“Have you
ever seen the volume of food they cook?”

“No.”

“Thousands
of pounds of quarter pound hot dogs. Thousands of pounds of
hamburgers. Boxes and boxes of bags of chips. Hot pretzels by the
rack fulls.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, and
someplace in all this, they're going to be cooking up nearly five
hundred pounds of popcorn.”

“What!”

“Yeah, it's
the cheapest stuff they sell and they box that stuff in a conveyor
line up there.”

“I'll have
to see it when it's all good.”

“You should
have those boxes changed. They've got boxes which are a circus motif.
You sell enough to have your team on there and a team photo.”

“Ok”

“It's all
memorabilia. Some kid can take that box home and cut out that photo.
It can go on his wall and serve as a reminder when he got to see you
play.”

“Or DJ
play.”

He smiled, “You
know, I'm really proud of you. In one game, you're getting all of you
kids in a game.”

“Aaron's not
playing.”

“Find a way
of getting him out on the field in some aspect.”

“Let me see.
He could be a water boy or something.”

“Ok, what I
want is all of you kids and us old farts out there for a photograph
before the game starts.”

“Ok, we'll
do that.”

My cell phone
rang. “Hello?”

“Where are
you at?”

“Merchandising
with Dan.”

“I'll be
right there. DO you know who's here to sing the national anthem
tomorrow?”

“No, should
I know?”

“OH man, get
down here.”

“Why?”

“Have you
ever heard of 'The Boys'?”

“The gay boy
band?”

“Yeah!
They're here.”

“Really?”

“Out on the
field right now practicing.”

“I'm on my
way.”

I hung up and
said, “Dan, gotta go, hot gay singers on the field.”

I took off and he
said, “What am I, chopped liver?”

“Nah,
straight meat. This is stuff I can see.”

I went out and saw
Rob. I went to him and put my arm around him. “Hey babe.”

“Hey
yourself. I've been up tearing up the files and you've been out
spending money I hear.”

“Yeah,
you'll love it.”

HE smiled, “I
missed you.”

“Me too. WE
gotta catch up.”

He looked at the
stage they had set up and said, “Do you think they'd take a
picture with us?”

“Why?”

“I want to
have it up in our office.”

“Are we
paying them?”

“I think
so.”

“Well, we'll
see if we can get a picture.”

Chris came over
and said, “Guys, I don't see what's so hot about them.”

“They're gay
and open about it. No one cares and even straight guys like them
because they know their girl is going to think they're so cool
because they like them.”

“So I won't
be thought of as gay if I play the cd in my car?”

“No, just
mix it up with some Barry Manilow and Elton John. You'll be ok.”

He smiled at me,
“Buddy, I'll be killed.”

“Nah, you'll
be in touch with your self....probably in more ways than one.”

“She likes
them. Look at her over there!”

“I'm looking
at you over here looking at her over there.”

“She's
sweet.”

“Sweet, the
way you're drooling, I'd say it was more than that.”

“We need to
talk sometime.”

“Sure.”

I put my hand on
Rob's arm, “I'm going to go talk with Chris. Tell Kit he and I
are talking.”

“Sure babe.”

We walked off and
he turned to me, “Jake, I'm going to say it, but you need to
shut me off if I get too mushy.”

“Ok”

“First of
all, she's hot. Not hot in a way which would make my mom cringe, but
hot in a smart kind of way. My mom's going to love her.”

“Ok”

“We talk and
we connect on levels which has me interested in what she's thinking
on a lot of levels. I hate to say it, but I find myself thinking
about what she thinks before I mention something. It's not about
looking at her boobs, and it's not about looking at her beauty, but
it's about looking at the way she looks at me when she talks and how
deeply she feels about things. Then, when she asks me something, I
know she really wants to hear what I've got to say and what I think
about something.”

“Ok, that's
cool.”

“Cool! It's
amazing. I just told you I don't look at her boobs when she talks
man!”

“Ok, so you
might be going gay. Do you find you like lace more?”

“Huh!”

“Well, if
lace comes up and the color purple, we've got to talk. It could be a
Prince fetish, but most likely it's a Donny Osmond flashback and you
really need to just quit the chicks.”

“Man, I'm
falling for her deep. I mean, I'm wondering how I could've been so
stupid for so long and now, I say that, I know you're thinking I'm
just dumb.”

“Chris, it's
called growing up. You're finally realizing you're more than a
breeder and she's more than breedable. You're finding you could talk
with her and fall more and more for her than you even imagined.”

“Really?”

“Here's what
you need to do. You need to start holding hands when you talk. Softly
caress and let her know this is more than a friendship and it's more
than a relationship in which you're going to be gone when you
graduate. Let her know you want time with her not in moments, but in
years and decades. Let her know you want to see her smile when you're
young, but when you two are old too. Let her know you'll hold your
babies and let her know you'll be there to love her with all of that
and more.”

“Huh?”

“Ok, maybe I
put the cart in front of the horse.”

“Jake, I've
already felt all that. I don't know how she feels. It's scaring me
because she might not like me.”

“She likes
you. Girls don't say it in the same way. You're expecting her to just
say she feels the same way. It doesn't happen like that.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, guys
fall for a girl faster. A girl falls, but it's like different.”

“Ok, tell me
how.”

“Ok, a guy
falls like wood. He gets it, it's up there, he realizes it's because
it's over a girl and she's still there because she knows he has it.
SO, he's like, 'OH, she must like me so I'll fall in love with her!'”

“Yeah.”

“Well,
that's because the blood is flowing from your big head to your little
head. You think it therefore it's real. It could be but the girl is
different. Here's how she thinks.”

“Ok,
wiseass, tell me how it is for a girl.”

“A girl is
different. She sees your wood and it's like one second, she's a
butterfly and she lands on it. “Oh, I believe I just caressed
your knob!” so she flutters off and then, she comes back and
she's like a cat. She purrs and she's over there rubbing against it
and then, she disappears. Then, when she realizes you're still
around, she comes over and she looks like a lovely little bird and
you think, 'Oh, what a lovely little bird.' You stay quiet and she's
sitting there and then, wham. Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, you find out
she's a woodpecker and she's pounding the hell out of it.”

Throughout all of
this I was talking with my hands and when I did the woodpecker, I
frogged the hell out of him repeatedly.

“You son of
a bitch!”

“Now, don't
lose your wood because here she comes now.”

“You're
going to get it.”

“Then you're
gay and you need to let her know.”

“Bullshit.
That wasn't funny.”

“I thought
it was.”

“What were
you guys talking about?”

“The mighty
power of the woodpecker and the amazing totem pole.”

Rob smiled and
Chris rolled his eyes. “Don't believe him, he's got wood on the
brain because he's seeing those guys out there.”

“Oh really?
Which one do you like Jake?” Kit asked with all sincerity.

“The one the
blond is singing to is the one I notice. He looks like Rob, but not
as cute.”

Rob smiled, “Nice
save!”

“I thought
so.” I turned to Kit, “So tell me, would you consider
yourself to be a butterfly, tiger, or woodpecker?”

She thought for a
moment and said, “I'm not sure. There are times when I think I
identify with the Tiger and the butterfly. Which do you think your
personality reflects Chris?”

I smiled and
asked, “Well?”

“It depends,
you're right. The butterfly some days and the tiger some also. When
I'm on the field, it's the woodpecker.”

“Oh!”

I went over to Rob
and said, “Let's go for a ride in our buggy.”

Chris asked,
“Where do you get them?”

“You see
that door over there?”

“No, where?”

“Over in the
corner there is a door. You go through it and down the steps. You go
out that door and you're at the maintenance room. Inside are the
carts.”

“Cool! Do
you want to get one Kit?”

“Sure”

They went and Rob
said, “They'll take a photo with us if there can be two.”

“Ok.”

“They've
already heard about you.”

“How?”

“Word's
going around Vegas you're a hot ticket.”

“Word is
going around Vegas we're going to be slaughtered.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, the
odds against us are staggering.”

“Like what?”

“ Eighteen
to one.”

“Man!”

“Yeah, it
gets way better than that real fast if you want more on the game.'

“Like what?”

“Do you want
to know what I did, so I can just go ahead and be told I shouldn't?”

“Yeah.”

“I bet a
million on the game.”

“Huh?”

“I bet a
million. The odds are such that I figured it'd be way cool. But the
way it went was I told them what I predict and they put it all into
odds.”

“Like what?”

“You, Chris,
and DJ get touchdowns. The score is 42-6. DJ gets a black eye and I
get a bruised leg. I throw for more yards than ever and I rush for
something paltry like seventy eight.”

“They took
odds on all that?”

“Yeah, it's
like five hundred to one!”

“Jake! Do
you realize that that would be?”

“Yeah, it'd
be the team paid off.”

“It's
illegal!”

“Yeah, but
what are they going to do, arrest me? First of all, I'm underage.
Second of all, I'm a player. Third, I'm an owner, and yeah, I'm
right.”

“You could
lose the team!”

“I won't. If
I do, I'll give it to you and walk away.”

“I don't
want the team. I want you.”

“You've got
me and you've got half the team, so don't worry.”

“I can't
believe you'd gamble.”

“If I lose,
I lose a million. If I win, I pay for the team. What's the problem?”

“A million
is more than some people see their whole lives.”

“Yeah, and
if I win, it's more than what I could've paid in six years, so let's
hope I'm right.”

He shook his head,
“I know you're right. I can sense it.”

“Well, be
happy for me.”

“Don't do it
again. That just had me feeling really weird.”

“I know, but
it was like they were challenging me.”

“You could
be taken away. Don't you realize it?”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, well,
this is it then. I don't want to lose you.”

“Ok, but you
should think of these things.”

“I was
thinking about paying off the team.”

“I know,
but...”

“Rob, don't
ride me on it. I admitted I was wrong and that's that. That's the
second time you've rode me on something today. I love you, but I'm
not going to constantly be sorry for something I mess up. I'll admit
I'm wrong, I'll try harder and that's that.”

“Ok, I see
you're upset.”

“Not now,
let's just not do that to each other.”

“Ok, what
did you do today?”

“Went
outside and took Rick there. I found out I like Jan but can't stand
Rick. I came back in and told Jan I like her, but can't stand Rick
and then, I found out where the buggies are and went to
merchandising.

There, I found Dan
and we went outside. I showed him all of our buildings and told him
what I want with them. We got stuck on housing the homeless and
Christmas decorating and then did security. We got him a buggie, went
back to merchandising and then, you called.”

We began to walk
and as we walked I told him about the Christmas decorations. He was
interested the more I talked.

When we got to the
little door, I opened it and went through. He came through and said,
“Oh man, this is too scary.”

“You see
that little thing right there?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, it's
a slide. They use it to unstick the dome if it gets stuck opening.”

“SO you
slide on it?”

“Watch this.
It's cool.”

“I don't
like it up here.”

“Ok, then
meet me down at the field. I'll slide down and show you how it
works.”

“You what?”

“Yeah, it's
way fun. I've already done it once.”

“Please
don't tell me you've risked your life doing that?”

“What risk?
It's easy and safe. I didn't die.”

“How does it
work?”

“Ok, you see
that box there? Well, that button reels it in. The way it goes is if
the dome is shut, that line is slack. If it's open or partially open,
it's taught and you can go acros that cable over to that other
catwalk over there.”

“That's far
away.”

“Yeah, but
can you imagine being out in the middle with a camera shooting a
photo from up here? It's like way cool.”

“So, how do
you go to the field?”

“Let me show
you. When I get down there, reel it back in and if you want, you can
ride it down. If not, go through the door and ride the buggie down.”

“You're
really going to ride down on that thing?”

“Yeah, it's
fun.”

“Where are
you going to land?”

“You see the
thirty five yard line out there?”

“Yeah.”

“About
there.”

“Ok, I'll
watch you and reel it in, but I'm not riding down.”

“Ok, I'll
wait for you so we can get our picture.”

I took the cart
thing and pulled it in. I got on and crept out. When I was out, the
line began to sag and it went down. I went faster and at the field, I
did the butt slide thing again. When I got off, everyone was staring
at me.

I stood up and
said, “He won't do it.”

I watched Rob reel
it in and then go through the door. Chris came over and said, “Do
you realize that's totally insane?”

“No, it's
safe. I've done it twice and not died.”

“Don't do it
again. Look how high that is if you fell.”

“If I fell,
it'd be over and I'd not feel a thing. I didn't fall, instead, I
slid. It's cool.”

“Jake,
normally, I'd do things with you, but that is just too dumb.”

Kit came over and
smiled, “Jake, thanks.”

“Huh?”

“He told me
what you said. I want to thank you.”

“No
problem.”

I looked at Chris
with a look of What did I say? He smiled back.

They walked off
and then Rob showed up. He came out and looked up at the catwalk.
“Man, it looks further away from down here!”

“Yeah, but
Chris just told me I'm insane.”

“Was it
fun?”

“Yeah, now
did it look unsafe?”

“No, not as
bad as bunge jumping.”

“See, but
they're all upset thinking I did something which could've killed me.”

“I wouldn't
do it because I'd be afraid of peeing my pants.”

“Nah, we
don't want that again.”

He laughed, “Stop
it!”

“Hey, those
peed pants were the best ones you had. It put us together.”

Some guys came
over and held out their hands. One guy said, “Hi, I'm Wend.
This is Jordy, Niles, Bandy, and Chad. We sing.”

We all shook hands
and I said, “Hi, I'm Jake and this is my better half Rob. We
play football.”

Chad said, “You
throw a football amazing. They showed you on television last night.”

“Which
throw?”

“I don't
know. You were playing a game and it was your highlights.”

“Oh, well we
won the game. Let's go over here and I'll show you some throws.”

They looked sort
of not interested but Chad was. They walked with us and when I got to
the ball wagon, I said, “Ok, here's the way this goes. When we
come out on the field, I do hand flips end over end all the way down
the field. That's to get their attention and to get to the ball
wagon. Then, I throw the ball and do a hawk screech.”

I threw the ball
and it went down and sailed through the uprights.

“Man, that's
awesome!”

One of the guys
gave me a look like it wasn't anything he cared to see again.

I said, “Here,
you guys throw one.”

Chad took one and
threw it. It went about twenty eight yards. The guy who was looking
like he wasn't interested said, “I can throw further than that!
Heck, what he does isn't much either.”

“You don't
think so? Throw and see. He's got power in his arm which is amazing!”
Chad said.

The guy hauled
back and threw. It went thirty two yards.

I nodded and said,
“Thirty two yards. That's ninety six feet which isn't bad.
Chad's wasn't bad at eighty four feet.”

Niles said, “Man,
how'd you throw so far?! I thought it'd be easy!”

I said, “Come
here and I'll show you.”

I went over and
got into my duffle bag. I got out the tennis racket and the
baseballs. “This is my tennis racket and these are baseballs.
Early last year, I was little and couldn't win on the court. I
decided I had to serve aces in order to win, so I got some baseballs
and went to practice.”

Bandy asked, “What
are aces?”

“Aces are
serves which you serve one ball and it does what it's supposed to do
and the other person can't return to make a volley. If you do that,
it gets you a point. If you volley, it could take the advantage to
your opponent.”

“Oh, I don't
watch tennis.”

“You oughta.
The guy's asses are hot when they're playing.”

I threw up a
baseball and hit it. As I hit it, I did the hawk screech.

“Man, look
at that!”

“Yeah,
that's power. It's a spin and it's what got me the ability to throw
that ball that fast. You see this tennis ball?”

“Yeah.”

“It'll show
you the spin I put on it.”

I threw it up and
hit it. It sailed away and when it hit the grass, it spun to the
left.”

“Man, I saw
that!”

“That's the
trick shots I used from the spins. I spin them and I can get it to go
where I want except for one spot on the court. As much as I try, I
can't get it there.

Just the same, as
you saw, I got a spin on the ball. With a football, if you throw it
with as much spin, you'll get a rifle effect where the thing spins
faster and you'll get it to fly further. That's what makes it not
wobble and be more accurate.”

I pulled out a
marked football. “This is my new toy I've been practicing on.
It'll show you the spins I put on the ball.”

I threw it and
everyone said they saw the spin.

I said, “Guys,
as you saw, I do tennis shots which are tricks. It's deadly accurate
and it's used to intimidate my opponent. Now, watch this.”

I hauled back and
let it loose. It flew to the goal post, hit it, ricocheted, and hit
the other goal post and wobbled in.

“That's
called accuracy. It's called me making people sweat, but in order to
win these games, I've got to be sure when you're at a certain spot,
I'm going to get it to you even though there might be two other sets
of arms reaching out for them. If you're where you're supposed to be,
I'll get it to you.”

Chad said, “You're
playing tomorrow, aren't you nervous?”

“No, and
I'll tell you why. You see this field?”

“Yeah.”

“It's the
same size as our field back home. It's the same size as your field at
your high school and as everyone else on this planet. It looks bigger
because of the color of the carpet and all these seats. They have all
these seats because people want to come and watch me win.”

“Yeah, it's
like us when we're in concert. It's going to be loud. I can't imagine
being accurate when you've got all those people around.”

“You're
wrong. Here's why. Do you sing the same in the shower as you do on
the stage?”

“Yeah.”

“It's the
same for me. If I'm throwing it to my friend Chris, or if I'm
throwing it in a game, it's the same throw. Out here, there's people
and it's going to be loud, but I know it's the same stadium as it is
today when it's quiet.”

“Ok, so it's
all in it's own perspective.”

“Yeah, you
all just saw me slide down that slide. It looks way up there, right?”

“Yeah!”

“Well, Rob
and I think it looks not real far when we're up there. He was amazed
by how different it looks from up top than it does down to.”

Jordy said, “I
understand, we built that stage of ours and it looks like it's way up
there when you're looking up, but from up there, it looks like it's
not so far down.”

“That's a
nice stage, how easy is it to move?”

“Real easy.
It's our stadium stage. It folds up and can move to the end real
easy. They'll fold it up here in a moment and move it. You'll see it
fold up and wonder how it all gets put away where it should go, but
what it is is a bunch of hydraulic rams and a lot of pulleys and
stuff. When it all works, it moves things really fast and a lot of
things move at once. We've got to be careful and keep a close watch
because something might get hung up and rack the whole thing.”

Niles said, “We
need to do that picture so we can get to the hotel. We've got to be
in concert over at the civic center in a little over an hour.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, this
is us performing tomorrow because we were in town. It worked out
good.”

I turned to Rob.
“Do you want to see about going to their concert?”

“Sold out, I
checked.”

“Oh, well,
maybe some other time.”

Chad said, “Guys,
if you'll let us introduce you up on stage, we'll get you in.”

I asked, “Could
you get all of our friends in too?”

“Sure,
they've got to sit in their own area, but that'd be fine.”

I said, “Let
me call. Won't this be just too much. They'll go home to school and
tell everyone they saw you guys while they were out here. They'll be
like king of the school.”

“Really?”
Niles asked

“Yeah,
you're really popular. I think it's neat because everyone knows
you're gay and yet, they still make you popular. It says we've come a
long way.”

“Well,
you're opening doors for us in football by being gay and open out on
the field. Not many do that while they're still playing.”

“I don't
know. I've not paid attention to it. I just sort of figured there
were gays everywhere.”

“There are,
but they don't come out about it as much.”

Rob dialed the
phone and handed it to me, “Chris.”

“Hey Chris,
we're invited to their concert.”

“Really! OH
MAN!”

“Hey, easy
on the ear dude!” I paused and then said, “They want to
introduce us up on stage and then we've got to sit in our own little
section, so if you guys want to, get everyone together and we'll have
to hurry so we've got our jerseys on and look good enough for all
those people to be wanting to come watch us play tomorrow.”

“I'll get
everyone called. Ask them if they'll wear some Angels jerseys in one
of their songs.”

“I'll do
that.”

“No, now!
I'm here and can get them to them real fast.”

“Ok, but
pick ones of which we've still got players.”

“Hang on,
but you ask.”

I put the phone
down and said, “Chris wants me to ask if you'll wear some
Angels jerseys during one of your songs.”

“We'll do it
to “I've got a Winner in you”

I blushed and Rob
chuckled. Chad said, “You guys are laughing. Why?”

Rob laughed and
said, “We were out on the field a few weeks ago playing when he
came up from behind me singing that song. Now mind you I'm bent over
like this and he's ready to take the ball. And he's singing, “I've
got a wiener in you babe”

Everyone laughed.
I blushed because it was true.

“I'm sorry
guys. It was funny because we're staring face to face with some
really big guys and I'm singing the song gay style and those guys are
chewing on their mouth pieces growling and looking fierce and I did
that. It tells you how intimidated I was of them.”

“You don't
get intimidated by them?”

“Nah, you
saw me run. I'll tell you I can run almost as fast backwards. Well,
come here Chad, I'll show you.”

“OK”

We went to the
line. I said, “Run to the fifty yard line. Tell me when.”

He yelled “Go”

We took off and I
ran backwards. I could tell he was really giving it his all. I pulled
away from him and go to the fifty yard line. I patted him on the back
and said, “Nice effort. I know it's embarrassing.”

“You're
super fast.”

“Let me give
you a hint. If you don't focus on trying to go fast and instead focus
upon getting away from the big guy behind you, it's like adrenaline
kicks in and you suddenly go faster.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,
knowing how to turn it on and off is where it's at. When you're out
on the field afraid of getting crushed by those guys, it happens, but
knowing that when they get you down, they're most likely going to
pound you in the balls, you gotta run in order to escape it.”

Wend said, “Man,
they do that?!”

“Yeah, they
do a lot of stuff. It's not nice out there, but it's sure nice when
people take notice. Well, it's like your singing. You know when you
walk amongst your fans, they pull, poke, and hug you. Well, those
guys do the same out there. Just think of you guys falling under a
pile of your fans and you'd feel what it would be like...except some
of them don't want to see you get up.”

Chad said, “Oh
man, I'll start paying more closer attention to see if I can see it.”

Chris came down
and handed guys jerseys. He said, “Guys, thanks. Kit absolutely
loves you and I think you're cool. IT's going to be amazing to say we
got to see you at school.”

DJ and Aaron came
down. I asked Chris, “Are the olds going to go with us?”

“Nah, Grant
called and they're going to fly out to pick him up. Dan wants to get
Brenda if he can.”

“We can send
the plane back tomorrow morning if they want?”

“Grant's got
some football players coming. He thinks he's going to have a mix of
both teams.”

“Great.”

Rob said, “We
need to call and get a car sent over. You might ask Jan if she can
get us one.”

“I should
have a whole parking lot of them someplace!” I said pulling out
my phone.

Wend said, “Guys,
we need to get our photo taken with you so we can go.”

“Oh, I'm
sorry. Who's taking it?”

“Our
publicist is up there.”

“Ok, let's
get that done.”

On the walk over
to center field, I called Jan. “Yeah hon?”

“We need a
car. Any ideas?”

“Limo or
other?”

“Limo to
take us to dinner and to their concert.”

“I'll have
one brought around. How soon?”

“About half
an hour.”

“I'll have
it.”

“We need our
jerseys so we can be introduced to their audience at the concert. Who
has those?”

“I'll get
them. We have someone down there getting those for everyone.”

“Tell them
we've got a plane full of people on their way who will be playing
possibly.”

“Ok, I'll
tell them they're on over time.”

“I
appreciate it.”

I hung up and
said, “Ok, our jerseys are ready. They'll bring them up.”

We posed for
photos and had a whole bunch of them taken. Their publicist assured
us we'd have copies of them delivered.

Afterwards, they
all gave us hugs and I noticed Chad gave long hugs to both Rob and I.
Jordy smiled demurely, but gave us longer hugs than the other guys
also.

They left and Rob
said, “Our jerseys are coming!”

I smiled, “Yeah,
look at that!”

We were handed our
jerseys and when Rob got his, it was 78. Chris gave me a look and I
looked at DJ. He saw the number and froze.

I said, “Honey,
that's Jared's number.”

“Yeah.”

“Ummm, it
doesn't get played here.”

He looked around
and I said, “Either tell them or put the jersey down.”

Chris said, “Tell
them. They're all friends.”

Rob turned around
and said, “Guys, I need your attention. This is a one time
shot, but you gotta look when I tell you.”

DJ spoke through
his teeth. “Rob, you're an asshole. Anyone who would want to
play Jared's number is an...”

Rob said, “I'm
him.”

He showed himself
as Jared and then went back to being Rob in appearance. Aaron passed
smooth out. DJ caught him, but he went pale as a sheet. Chris laughed
and Kit looked startled. She asked, “How?”

I said, “Robbie
wanted to commit suicide. He tried and I saved him. Later, yesterday
afternoon, he showed up when Robbie and I were at my house and he did
that. Robbie peed his pants, and passed out.

Jared told me he'd
take care of Robbie and would dry his clothes. I had to go buy the
buildings downtown, so I left. That's when they did the soul switch.
Robbie's went to Heaven and Jared's found a body where he and I could
be together and be in love.”

DJ said, “So
Robbie is Jared?”

I said, “DJ,
this is going to be confusing, but I call him Rob now. The two are
separate. Robbie had his soul and was an asshole. Rob has Jared's
soul and is a nice guy.”

“I thought I
was getting along better with him. Now I know why.”

Chris said, “I
knew because Rob was saying some of the same things to me and
cracking the same jokes as Jared. It really pissed me off and
finally, they had to tell me. It all makes sense especially since he
knows only some things Jared would know about me.”

Aaron came too. “I
saw Jared.”

“Yeah, he's
in Rob now.”

“Oh! So I
didn't see a ghost then.”

“No, you saw
Jared's soul in Rob.”

“Oh man! How
do you feel Jake?”

“Great, I've
got him when I can have him. I feel like I'm on top of the world.”

“IS that why
you and Grant broke up?”

“No, Grant
and I broke up for a whole variety of reasons, but it wasn't over
Rob.”

Rob said, “Grant
is a nice guy, but when he's with Jake, he's abusive mentally to him.
I didn't want to believe him, but now I've seen it.”

I quickly said,
“Guys, Grant's a great guy and as long as we're not together,
it seems to work better for us. Maybe it's the age thing, but I don't
know. I think it was our personalities. What I do want you to know is
he's probably going to have another guy when he gets here, so let's
be nice to them. Ok?”

Rob said, “Kit,
that's why I wanted to break up gently with you. I know he was using
you for a cover and it bugged him. What's strange is there are some
feelings still inside me from him and I know he thought of you as a
dear friend.”

She nodded, “I
liked him a lot too except when he was so spiteful.”

Aaron said, “Man,
this is all strange. I'm happy the way it turned out, but it wasn't
good.”

I went over to
Aaron and said, “Well, DJ told you what he felt and it's better
right?”

“Yeah, and
the second he goes back to being hateful, I call you and you come
running.”

“I'll do
more than run. He just better know that's not acceptable.”

Dj smiled weakly.
“I'm sorry. I was wrong. I now know how much he means to me and
I'm trying to demonstrate it all the time.”

I nodded. “Good.
I'm supportive.”

Rob asked, “Why
does it matter that you're supportive?”

“Because
Aaron is a friend of mine. DJ was his lover and mistreating him. I
noticed it and DJ chose to get physical with me. Not only that, but a
lot of damages were done. We sorted through it and then, he started
to do it again. Aaron was nearly suicidal. We intervened and DJ got
way worse. Now it's better, but for them to be together until trust
developes, it's got to be us watching over and protecting them both
as friends.”

I patted Rob's
hand. “Thanks, I'm glad you're checking up on me too. I realize
you're not caught up on everything, but it's going to be where you
will be soon.”

He smiled, “I'm
sorry for making you feel like I'm butting in.”

“No, you're
quite fine. I like it you're getting involved.”

He nodded, “Ok,
let's get this show on the road. We've got jerseys and a plan for the
evening. Where are we going to eat?”

Everyone looked at
each other and I said, “I've wanted some of their cheese steak
sandwiches they're famous for. They're also famous for deep dish
pizza.”

Aaron said, “I'd
like the sandwiches.”

Rob said, “Let's
take a vote. We can eat one tonight and the other tomorrow if you'd
like. Who's for cheese steak sandwiches tonight?”

Everyone voted for
the cheese steak sandwiches, so we went to the employee entrance and
found the limo waiting. We got in and asked the driver to take us to
the best cheese steak sandwich place in the city. He took us to a
little restaurant and dropped us off.

We went in and
found it wall to wall with people. We gave our orders and Rob paid
with an Angels' credit card. The person at the counter noticed and
instantly gave it back. He smiled and said, “If you're from the
Angels' your money is no good here.” He turned around and
yelled, “Angels order up!”

I looked around
and instantly saw people staring. He asked, “You guys being
scouted?”

Rob said, “No,
he and I are owners and we're all players.”

“Oh really!”

He turned and got
on the pa system. “Akron Angels fans, give your players a round
of applause.”

I went around and
started introducing myself. When people found out we had a new
quarterback, everyone was instantly saying it was about time. I got
clear to the back of the place when I heard, “Jake, your
order's ready.”

I laughed, “Now
they tell me!”

Everyone patted my
back on the way forward and what was even more funny was a number of
women were suddenly showing cleavage even with their boyfriends close
by.

At the front, I
got my sandwich, drink, and chips. The sandwich was huge! I was
expecting a sub like Subway. Instead, it was longer, way thicker, and
with gobs of steak, cheese, vegetables and goodness.

We ate all crowded
around a standing table. There weren't any booths, but as people
exited, they all patted us on the backs and wished us luck tomorrow.

When we were
finished eating, I went over to the guy at the cash register and gave
him a tip. “Thanks, it was the best I've eaten.”

a

PlayMaker

Notes
From Retta:

This
story wouldn't be possible without a good person by the name of Wes.
Fortunately, he downloaded it while it was still able to be gotten on
the Google Groups site.

For
those of you who know, my Google Groups site is shit. Please don't
get that confused with “the shit”, but just plain shit.

It
seems I can upload a chapter to the site and it will promptly lose
the thing. When you go to click on it, you will get an error message
which states the page you've navigated to is no longer available.
Needless to say, I'm not please because their customer service sucks.

I'd
lost the first twenty five chapters of the story, so without Wes
having them, I'd be fucked. Thankfully, he had them, so he gets a
great BIG HUGE Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

The
author, RettaMichaels copyrights this story and retains all rights.
This work may not be edited, changed, or duplicated in any form,
media [ known or unknown ], without the author's expressed
permission. All applicable copyright laws apply. RettaMichaels does
NOT give editorial consent in order for this to be published. If it
is deemed unpublishable in it's context, permission much be granted
before publication or changes occur.

Trademark
Notice – 2009 by RettaMichaels

“From
My Keyboard To Your Heart”,”'Retta”,“RettaMichaels”.“Retta”,“Rhett”,
and “Rhette” are all Trademark of RettaVonnMichaels
L.L.C. None of these trademarks may be used, or authorized without
consent.

Disclaimer:
All individuals
depicted are fictional, and any resemblance to real persons,
locations, or incidents is purely coincidental.